


Beastly

by WikkedGrace



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Animal Transformation, Demons, Dragons, F/M, Fantasy, Magic, Marriage, Nobility, Time Travel, Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-01 11:07:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 54,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13996968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WikkedGrace/pseuds/WikkedGrace
Summary: Days before his wedding, Lavi is ambushed and left for dead by his bride's jealous admirer. If things weren't bad enough, he's been thrown into a dark place known as the Devil's Wood, home to terrors untold, and transformed into a wretched beast. The only way to right things again is getting tied up in demonic warfare- not his idea of a proper bachelor's party.





	1. Into the Devil's Wood

**Author's Note:**

> This is a completed fic, written back in 2013. It holds a special place for me because I had been going through so much IRL while I wrote it and it was truthfully a very therapeutic sort of project. I'm re-uploading it here on AO3 so hopefully you guys might like it. Also, if anyone has suggestions for tags please let me know. I suck at this.

The day had gone perfectly rotten for Lavi, even before he was ambushed in the woods and thrown into the mud. It didn't take him long to identify his situation after he pulled himself from the filth, but only after trekking astray between the bare trees did the enormity of it all strike him. He gazed upward, craning his neck in attempt to gain a baring on his location, but the rocky drop he sought was nowhere in sight. He knew only one thing about his current location- this was the Devil's Wood, without a doubt in his mind. He was now so deep in the woods, in fact, that he couldn't see more than a few yards in front of him. The trees, although totally deprived of their foliage, were so close together that they almost formed tunnels within their twisted roots. Lavi wasn't certain if it were day or night, but it didn't matter, for he knew that evil things lurked here.

If his situation weren't hopeless enough, he also seemed to have been transformed into a savage dragon. What a damn day.

Even if he were to somehow find his way back to Westcliff, it still became a problem when he considered that he would likely be impaled by the ballistae on sight. Damn that wicked Lord Kanda! Lavi was right about him, and now his twisted intentions were clear- albeit only to Lavi himself. If only he could get his hands- claws- on that backstabbing shark, Kanda would be a scorched kebab on the tallest spire of his own fort! His thoughts turned to his fiancé, Lenalee. It pained him to think of what sort of lies she would be told, that the man she was to wed within the week had fallen from the Reach, his remains scattered far below to be collected by the wolves. He stopped in his tracks.

The letter! His letter to her must have reached her by now! A flicker of hope ignited within. Perhaps she will be able to see the truth, that Kanda and his men would betray him, as per his suspicions he related in the note. His sullen march turned into a cheerful gait. If only he could find his way out of here. To his luck, the trees appeared to be thinning, and he was now able to see that it was very early in the morning. The stars were still visible overhead, looking like a plush cushion in the blushing sky. The dragon attempted to move swiftly, now confident the stories of evil lurking in this wood had all been falsehoods.

" _CAW! WHO GOES THERE?!_ "

Lavi stopped so quickly his legs were unable to synchronise the movement, resulting in a great crash into the tree ahead. The crow shuddered with the branch, and to Lavi's absolute horror, dislodged its body from the talons gripping so fiercely to the swaying branch. The rest of the crow crashed to the dark soil rather unceremoniously, and did not move, its talons remaining glued to the branch above. Lavi picked himself up slowly, his back turned to the beast. He was definitely startled, but wasn't truly frightened until the bird lifted its little head and cawed at him again. The crow was missing several of its feathers, its black wings were matted and caked in mud, and Lavi was almost certain there was a maggot or ten crawling in between its beak and what used to be its eyes.

"You are surely the least intimidating dragon I've ever laid eyes upon!" A figure appeared from the trees, and Lavi wondered just how he hadn't seen him coming long before. The youth's white hair seemed to almost glow in the darkness of the woods. He knelt and gathered up the wretched creature in his arms, lamenting over the broken limbs. The demon crow clicked its beak.

"It's not his fault, Tim, you startled him! We can fix your legs, stop your whining." Lavi watched, dumbfounded, as the boy kicked the tree, and the bird's lost talons fell to the ground. They were propped up, and the boy set the crow on the stumps. It flapped its wings, a little angrily, and hopped in a circle. Lavi found himself petrified. This was something else. He immediately took back every doubt he had about this place being evil.

"So, dragon, what has you so babbity rabbity over a little bird?" The boy was talking to him. Lavi wasn't certain how to respond, or if there was even a point in doing so. He'd not previously considered the possibility that being turned into a beast would eliminate his larynx, and create a massive rift in communication. On the other hand- or claw- this boy didn't seem to be frightened of him at all, which could turn out in his favour.

"You aren't afraid of me?" Lavi chanced. He despaired when it sounded more like a long, deep growl than words, but the boy howled in laughter.

"You? Afraid of you? My pet bird, Tim, flies away from tea time, most rudely might I add, and finds you. Instead of slow-roasting him, you  _completely_  tucked your tail in between your legs! Look, even now!" Lavi's long tail was indeed seeking refuge below him. The boy continued, "I daresay you make a terrible dragon! You aren't intimidating in the slightest. Would you care to join us for tea, then?"

Lavi found his jaw in a distinct 'O' shape. Not only was the boy unafraid of him, he could understand and speak to him, and had even gone as far as to deliver a swift castration of any dignity he might have held in this wretched form. And then invite him to tea. Something was definitely wrong with this picture. Any rational person wouldn't keep a long-dead animal for a pet, and no sane human would so boldly march up to something as dangerous as a dragon and laugh at it. There was, of course, the matter of this being the Devil's Wood. Lavi could feel a chill slithering in his bones as he considered that he may be in the presence of something far more powerful than himself. Any comfort he took in being a massive, fire-breathing dragon while in this wood was instantly extinguished. There was something mythical and ancient about the boy's presence, even if one were to disregard the unusually coloured hair. Lavi wouldn't have guessed him to be any older than fifteen, but the knowing depth of the boy's stormy eyes suggested something delphic lurked within. He wondered about the strange tattoo on the boy's face as well- it didn't seem to be there for vanity's sake.

"Who are you?" Lavi managed, fighting to hide any tone in his voice that would hint at his uneasiness. It wasn't a simple task considering he wasn't familiar with draconic socialisation. The boy seemed surprised.

"Surely you've heard the rumours," he said, "I cannot think of one resident of these woods that is not me. I mean, of course, if  _you_  do, please say so now, I would like to have a word with them." Lavi pondered his words, trying to search his memory for anything that might answer his question. There was one urban tale of a demon whom lived deep inside the Devil's Wood. This child, he thought, couldn't be a demon. Could he? "Truthfully, though, I am rather more curious about you. I know who I am, but I do not know you," he added, "Oh! The tea must be cold by now." He vanished.

Lavi blinked in surprise, attempting to find where the boy had disappeared to, with no success. The crow bounced in front of him, it's awful, empty eyes gazing up at him. It seemed a little peeved about its legs. When Lavi finally dared to peer back at it, the crow extended what was left of its wings, turned, and hopped away into the woods. Against his better judgment, Lavi followed it. When the crow finally became airborne, it very ungracefully darted through the tree trunks at such a speed that it was a chore for Lavi to keep up with it. At last, however, the trees began to thin until he came to a fairly spacious clearing. What stood before him now weaved both anxiety and curiosity in his mind. He was standing in the shadow of a crooked little tower, big enough perhaps to fit Lavi inside, barely, but small enough that he feared it might tip over if the wind were to pick up. The crow flew haphazardly at the window, which was unfortunately shut. It rebounded off of the wooden barrier, falling on its back with its wings spread into the dirt, its poor neck bent at an unhealthy angle. Lavi cringed at the sight.

"Tim! Not again!" The boy opened the window and leaned out, but stopped and smiled to Lavi. "Ah, decided to join us after all! Come in, then, won't you?" This boy was friendly, a little too much so. He approached the door, and quickly found that it was far too small for himself. Instead, he waited outside. The boy returned, opening the door and peering outside, but when he noticed the dragon seated nearby, he recognised the problem. "Oh, bollocks. Well, that's alright, we can come outside." Lavi was alright with this- he wasn't particularly keen on venturing inside anyway. He disappeared into the tower for a moment, and then reappeared with an abnormally tall stack of teapots, spoons, cups, and a saucer full of sugar. Perhaps gravity worked differently in the Devil's Wood, because the stack of china was far above even Lavi's head. They were set out, however, effortlessly and even a blanket was tossed underneath. Between all of Lavi's confusion, the boy strode behind him to pick up the bird and snap its neck back in place. On his way back, he stopped next to Lavi's tail, observed it a moment, and then pinched one of the scales. A sharp pain shot up his back, and without warning, his mouth flew open and a torrent of flames spilled forth from his jaws.

"Ah, perfect! It's warm again!" the boy announced cheerfully, as he picked up the teapot. He then poured three cups and distributed them, one for the bird, Tim, himself, and one for Lavi. The bird merely sat there, seeming to eye the contents of its cup, before plunging its head inside and remaining consequently immobile. "Now you can tell me who you are, my newfound friend."

"Er, my name is Lavi, I am an archivist in Westcliff..." Lavi said slowly, unsure if it was safe to reveal more. The boy seemed pleasantly unvexed. He then dared to ask, "And I suppose you are some sort of demon?" The boy stared at him a moment, and then laughed darkly.

"Demon? Ha! Is that what they call me these days?" he crowed, setting his tea on the scorched blanket. "They used to call me the Whimsical Warlock of Westreach! But I prefer Walker." Lavi felt himself draw back in alarm. He was a warlock! Not a demon, but one that could harness magic. He stood up suddenly, understanding what that might mean. Kanda conspired with him! He knew Kanda was no witch himself, and had sought out Walker in order to take him out of the equation! He advanced on Walker with a snarl.

"Change me back, warlock!" he demanded. Walker was, of course, presently undaunted. He sipped at his tea.

"As you wish," he said, gently.

"Really?" Lavi said, relinquishing the previous ferocity that gripped him. He stood his ground, however, as Walker pulled the hood of his robes over his head, effectively darkening his face. His eyes, however, seemed to glow from under the cowl. In his hand appeared a deck of playing cards, and he set them in between himself and Lavi.

"I am not above doing favours for anyone daring enough to find me in the Devil's Wood," Walker explained, his tone noticeably darker, "However, my magic is never free of cost."

"What do you mean?" Lavi asked, uneasily. Walker smiled, pushing the deck forward.

"The first hand will decide whether or not I help you," Walker said, his smile unwavering, "The second will determine to what extent, and the third will determine what you will give me in return for my help." Lavi hesitated. Was Walker being serious? He seemed to be ready to draw a hand right now, and all too eager to proceed. Perhaps this is exactly what Kanda did. Lavi pondered what he could possibly have traded Walker in exchange for transforming him into this terrible monster. Then it struck him- Walker had not been conspiring with Kanda at all. Rather, Kanda had come to Walker to strike a deal in the same fashion he proposed to Lavi. Land, wealth, perhaps a few men to feast on, it couldn't have been difficult for Kanda to provide whatever it was Walker wanted in exchange. Lavi found himself outraged. Walker had no desire to side with anyone but himself. It was clear already that he was ready to betray his deal with Kanda in order to make a new one with Lavi. It would be foolish to trust him.

Walker seemed to sense Lavi's conviction. With a disappointed yawn, he drew back and sipped again at his tea.

"I do wonder what that Eastern fellow wanted so badly that he wished to have you gotten rid of," he casually mentioned. Lavi snorted. So it was true. It was Walker's fault he was like this. "Whatever it was, I hope he'll settle for my version. He wasn't specific in the details. I reckon he intended for me to kill you. But, that's no fun, you see, and after all, he asked me to 'be rid of you', and those are some rather loose terms, wouldn't you say?" Walker winked at him. Lavi was trying to determine what Walker meant by these words. Was he trying to tell him that he saved his life by turning him into a dragon, rather than slaughtering him?

"Why a dragon?" Lavi asked. Wouldn't it have been more 'fun' to make him a frail little hare, or even a caterpillar to feed to his crow?

"Because! Dragons are fantastic! Certainly not enough of them, I say!" Walker cheered, throwing up his arms. Lavi wasn't certain if that was a legitimate answer or not. The warlock paused, as if deep in thought. Then, his head snapped up at Lavi. "It's a woman, isn't it? It is! See, you're blushing!" Even if Lavi was blushing, it wouldn't matter, because his scales were a deep red either way. He decided not to bother pointing this out. The urge to crush the little trogg had come and gone, and in its place was a stronger resolve. If Walker was capable of changing him back, then he would have to do whatever he wanted in order to make that happen. He allowed a deep breath, and as he exhaled, a tendril of smoke curled from his nostrils.

"Alright, I'll do it."

Walker seemed pleased by his decision, and turned to the cards again. Sixteen cards flew from the stack instantaneously, startling Lavi. Eight cards hovered before him, face down, while eight were in front of Walker. "The winner shall name the terms. First hand, then," Walker said, and the cards flipped over. Lavi had two of a kind, but Walker had three of a kind. Lavi peered up from his cards, dreading his answer. The first hand determined if Walker would even help him.

"I win," he declared, and the cards shuffled themselves back into the deck. He peered into Lavi's eyes, and for a moment Lavi felt as if he were reading his mind. "If I am to assist you, I want to know why. Tell me your story, Lavi, and I will determine whether you are deserving of my assistance." Lavi hesitated momentarily, his trust in Walker teetering. He wondered if Kanda had told him his story, and what about his story had so compelled Walker to lend him his magic. Perhaps they were all lies. Lavi would only have to tell him the truth. He wasn't certain where to begin. He thought back to the fox hunt, and what had led to it, and came to the conclusion that he ought to begin with Lenalee.

"Well, you were right about the woman. The woman Kanda is after... she is... was... my fiancée."

* * *

Lavi had spent the bulk of the morning in the library, poring over old tomes and maps. He found himself particularly enchanted by history, and was often spellbound by the intricate detail of a cartographer's hand. He took notes with his quill, marking places of interest with the help of the map. His fingers glided over a large, blackened smudge on the paper's surface. It wasn't terribly far from his current location, he decided, perhaps only a day's ride from the Westcliff. The smudge wasn't of an inky nature, as if a well was spilled over it. It seemed to be burnt, very precisely he noted, an almost symmetrical circle in the heart of the Devil's Wood. He scribbled the coordinates on his notepad. Lavi was aware of the tales about the Devil's Wood- evil things lurked in there. It was a dark and massive sea of trees lurking below Westcliff. To the south, sharing the top of the cliff with the township was the Brighton wood. The people were far less superstitious of them, even claiming it housed a mythical Pool of Immortals.

Leaning back in the old chair, he pushed his mane of red hair behind his head and stretched.

"I really ought to have slept more," Lavi yawned. After all, there was a day full of wedding plans ahead of him, and a hunt... yes, Yu Kanda himself, the Lord of Fort Honning, had invited him to a fox hunt in celebration of his engagement to the Baroness Lee. He ought to have felt honoured. The truth was, however, the notion didn't sit well with him. Yu Kanda, after all, couldn't have been all too pleased that his arrangement with the House of Lee had been forfeit. The Kanda family was not nearly as wealthy, but they did control a vast amount of land, and a strong local militia. The House of Lee had plenty of wealth to spare. A union was inevitable between the two.

He heard movement beneath the table, the sound of the flap on his knapsack opening. He kicked the thief away, and it let out yowl of surprise. The black cat jumped on the table and took the liberty of sitting on top of the cartography, eying him with serpent-like eyes. It stared a while, then began to lick its paw.

"Stupid cat," Lavi grumbled. Who lets a cat into a library, anyway? He had run into the beast several times in the past years. It was a mangy little ball of fur, matted under its arms and wearing a permanent scowl. There was an objectionable amount of hair protruding from its ears, so much that Lavi always wondered how it wasn't deaf. The animal was starting to grow on him. Lavi had learned, of course, to keep his precious lunch safely tucked away where the cat couldn't get its claws into it. He suspected the little glutton was beginning to learn how to get into that, too.

In defeat, he scratched the cat behind her ears, and she leaned into his palm as if asking for more. Lavi began to close his tomes and roll up the maps. Storing them in their places, the cat followed him as he tucked the notes into his pack and hauled it over his shoulder. He needed to see Lenalee before the hunt today. Lavi had the faint feeling he was walking into a trap, but he couldn't just say no to the offer. Not only so, but announcing his suspicions to the entire house of nobles was out of the question- the House of Lee didn't favour him as it was. Turning down the fox hunt under the pretense that his outfitter was attempting to murder him would be nothing short of scandalous. Things weren't so simple. He had to confide his suspicions in someone, should anything happen to him- or Lenalee.

When he reached the estate, he and the doormen spent a few minutes trying to scare the cat away. It was certainly persistent, but eventually it grew bored and pranced away along the wall. Lavi knew he would see it again, one way or another. He ignored the calculating eyes as he crossed the hall, his own gaze focused ahead. It was the only way to keep himself from becoming enthralled by the lavish portraits lining the walls, telling of the family's history to onlookers. Lavi was interested in knowing more about the Lee family, but much of their personal memoirs were tucked away. It was a shame, really. As rich and influential as they were in Westcliff, the family was awful quiet about their well-to-do lives. Even Lenalee knew little of her family's secrets. She knew only that they came from the East, helping establish the township after crossing the land many decades ago.

"Well, well, if it isn't the groom-to-be."

Lavi was startled by the voice. Its owner, Lavi swore, must have just appeared through the wall, because there were no doors on either side of him. It was the Grand Magister. Not one of Lavi's favourites. However, if there was such a secretkeeper among the House of Lee, it was Cross. The man knew more of Westcliff's history than anybody else. Unfortunately, getting any answers out of the man was an impossible task. The Grand Magister lived only to safeguard his charge from the magical front, and would only pass his knowledge on to his successor alone. And Cross, to Lavi's knowledge, didn't have one.

"Ah- hel- an Honour it is to see you!" Lavi stumbled over his own words. He would never grow accustomed to this noble-people talk. The man smiled pleasantly, although Lavi could almost smell the insincerity.

"If you're here to see our dear Lenalee, she is away at the moment," he informed him, pouring a glass of red wine. Lavi was almost certain it wasn't in his hand a moment ago.

"I wasn't informed," Lavi said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "If I may, where has she gone to?"

The man chuckled, swirling the drink in the glass and indulging. Lavi waited with as much patience as he could. The Grand Magister was an imp if he'd ever seen one. He would pull every individual hair from a lion's rump for as long as the lion would put up with it, then turn its throat into a trumpet at the first sound of dissent. Finally, the man responded.

"She is away, in Pemberley, as of last night. It is her last days as a maiden, after all." Lavi didn't at all like the way he said that. There was something like seeping venom in his words, as if he was speaking to a child. The man was observing him like an old coat covered in the dust of centuries. "Best you meet with Kanda, the lad has already left to make preparations for your hunt today."

"Right," Lavi returned frigidly, "Thank you, Sir."

The man called to him on his way out. Lavi stopped, only sparing him a look over the shoulder. The Grand Magister tilted his hat, his long red hair consuming him like a giftwrapped mummy.

"Do take care today, I would hate to lose another bright mind to the darkness."

As perplexed as his words left Lavi, it didn't matter, because in the next moment, the Grand Magister had vanished.


	2. The Hunt

The warlock made a show of yawning.

The bird's head seemed to be swelling up with the hot tea. Walker uniformly righted Tim's head, as if it was a common occurrence. Lavi was certain there were plenty of odd things considered normal in this neck of the woods, by Walker's standards, anyway. As Lavi recounted his story, Walker had busied himself sipping at his tea, mixing it with so many sugar cubes, Lavi wondered if perhaps he was drinking molasses rather than tea. He did listen intently enough, or so it seemed, because this was only the first time Lavi had been interrupted.

"So, the fox hunt? Let's get to that part," Walker coaxed, refilling his cup. Unsure how exactly to drink the tea from such a tiny cup without breaking it, Lavi's remained full, and was most likely getting cold by now. He rolled his eyes, but tried to be respectful as possible and go along with the warlock's wishes. Walker appeared to be far more interested in the part of his tale that involved himself.

"Yes, of course... Lord Kanda led the hunt into the Brighton Woods. It was a small party, too small, really..."

* * *

The red hunting coat was most definitely out of his comfort zone. Being his first hunt, however, Lord Kanda insisted he wear the proper attire. It could have been worse, Lavi thought; at least the outfit was simple enough. Other than the coat, he wore merely a pair of white trousers and knee-high jockey boots. Lavi was surprised by the small size of Kanda's group. He was certain he'd seen him hunt with far more of his colleagues, but with a party of three and one hound, it ought to have been the biggest red flag even raised. Not only was the party small, but the man Lord Kanda elected to bring with them was blind. Noise Marie was a large, dark-skinned man whom served at Fort Honning. He trusted the man had impeccable hearing, but foxes weren't exactly the noisiest of creatures.

"He is one of the best trackers," Kanda had explained, "Sometimes I wonder why I even bring a hound to do the job." This information didn't put Lavi at ease. He watched as Kanda placed a couple of flares in his saddlebag. What was the point of having them? The only other person able to see them would be himself, and if it were a signal for Westcliff, it would most likely be missed. Westcliff was like a fortress. The walls were tall as the sky, and there would be no way a person within the township would be able to see a red flare going off in the Brighton Woods over that wall. Sometimes, there were watchmen posted on top, but if that ever happened, the men were too far gone in their drinks to even notice them. They definitely wouldn't attract any game, either. Noise handed him a hunting rifle.

"You'll be needing this. Kanda insists you will have the honour of killing it." The large man smiled, although Lavi could swear it was short-lived. Noise walked away and saddled Lavi's horse as if it were a nuisance of a job. When he finished, he patted the horn as if instructing him to get on, then retreated to join Kanda outside. Lavi watched them. Kanda was telling Noise something in a hushed tone as the hound sniffed around in the grass farther away. He caught Kanda's eye, and after an uncomfortable moment, Kanda tore away and mounted his own dark horse. Lavi felt the dirk tucked away in his coat burn hot. It didn't go far in assuring him safety among Kanda and his peon, but it was something.

Cautiously, he hoisted himself on the back of the palomino. It grumbled a little at him, but seemed content enough by his presence. Good. At least the horse wasn't plotting to kill him.

"We'll head east until we pick up a trail. The hound will go to the ground if it burrows," Noise declared. He then whistled at the dog, and it followed him into the trees. Lavi followed a distance behind Kanda, and soon they were trekking through the Brighton Woods in a small procession. The men plowed on for a while in this manner, silent, as the dog and Noise led them off the trail. They proceeded downhill, toward the stream, where Noise signaled for them to stop.

"Wait here," he said, quietly, following the dog into the trees on the other side. Now alone with Kanda, the silence began to evolve into a fully orchestrated rendition of woodland sounds. Finally, Kanda spoke.

"I'm unsure what she sees in you, archivist," he said. His tone was unassuming, but Lavi could taste the venom in his words. He was busied cleaning his musket with a twig, a rag, and some water from the stream- perhaps for the third time today. Kanda didn't look at him, likely because his eyes would give away how he was really feeling. "Not an ounce of wealth to your name, no land to speak of, disagreeable blood," he continued, each word more insulting than the next, "I daresay not even as handsome as she deserves. It must be luck. Truly, that woman is mad for choosing you over the blatantly worthy candidate. And you are one lucky bastard for winning her  _favour_." Kanda spat the last word as if it were a spoiled egg. Lavi felt his blood pulsating like it would burst from his skin at any moment. Kanda was boldly slandering his name, right to his face, and Lavi could think of no reasonable way to respond to the scorn.

"I suppose the maiden's tastes far exceed material possessions," Lavi returned. Yeah, that sounded about right. Of course, Kanda did not agree at all. He knit his brows, as if deeply conflicted on his next statement.  _Good_ , Lavi thought, _Stay quiet_. Instead, Kanda smiled. It wasn't the sort of smile that might have Lavi convinced that the man made a breakthrough. It was the sort of smile that had Lavi convinced the Lord of Fort Honning just reminded himself that Lavi wouldn't be a concern of his in the near future. The kind of smile that had him worried for his life all over again.

"Perhaps," Kanda agreed, turning away for a moment, "She is a foolish young girl, after all. Even after you nearly killed her." Lavi wasn't listening, however, because a series of scenarios were now making their rounds in his conscience. He ought to rid of him now. With his back turned, he wouldn't even be able to stop Lavi from gutting him. He knew, without a doubt, Kanda planned to kill him, so it would be a self-defence...  
No, Lavi corrected himself, he would be a murderer. He wouldn't sink to Kanda's level, not like this. Not to mention, if he slew a noble, he'd have the entire township after his head. He ought to run for it. Take off now, warn the guard of Kanda's plot. No, not the guard- they were controlled by Kanda himself. It wouldn't work. Lavi didn't have many options. He could run away to Pemberley, find Lenalee and elope with her- yes, that seemed like the best course of action now.

"We've picked up a trail," Noise emerged from the trees, and Kanda immediately stood, drawing a crossbow. Lavi took that as invitation to wield his rifle. If Kanda had at all intended to use that weapon on Lavi, he wasn't going down without a fight. It looked as if running was no longer a choice. If he tried, Kanda could easily shoot him down with an iron bolt to the back.

They were now headed north, toward the edge of the woods. It was darker here, or perhaps it was Lavi's imagination. The woods were quieter as they neared the cliffside. It was below this steep drop where sat the Devil's Wood, nestled comfortably in its massive valley. The locals of Westcliff often likened it to the home of a widow spider, patiently awaiting her next victim to tumble into her clutches from the safety of the Reach. Noise held out an arm, raising his finger to his lips. Kanda and Lavi stopped. Noise pointed forward. Before them, digging into the pine needles on the woodland floor, was a small, white fox. Its large ears were raised, alert. For a moment, it paused, peering around. It must have decided it was safe, because it began pawing at the needles again.

Kanda dismounted his horse, and Lavi followed suit. Cautiously, they copied Noise's movements until they were within firing range. The hound stood a ways back as to not alert the creature of its scent. They came up behind a large rock. Kanda motioned for him to take aim. He was uncomfortably close to Lavi, and for a moment he considered the possibility that this was it. He found himself focused more upon the dirk in his coat than the fox he was to shoot. Lavi placed the rifle on top of the rock, taking careful aim. Momentarily, he observed the creature. A white fox... he had never seen one, he admitted. He glanced at Kanda incredulously. Why kill something so beautiful? Kanda motioned for him to carry on.

"Consider it my blessing," he whispered, as if he expected Lavi to be humbled by his generosity. For a strange moment, the fox seemed to have met Lavi's gaze. Its stormy gray eyes bore into his own with a mystifying intensity, a knowing look.  _Will you pull the trigger?_  It seemed to be asking him. He couldn't help but feel spellbound by its gaze. Lavi didn't want to kill it. It was innocent, and so beautiful... but he squeezed the trigger, and as the loud  _crack!_  and the smoke from the powder blinded his senses, several things happened.

Lavi felt a sharp pain in his ribs, and it spread quickly from his heart to the rest of his body. It felt as if his blood was on fire- quite literally- and his body thrashed about trying to extinguish it. He could hear the horses going berserk, the shouts of the two men behind him. There were shots fired, and he felt several bullets graze past him, whizzing past his ears. None of them hit, but one thing did. A massive force knocked him off balance from behind, and suddenly he was falling, spinning out of control. When he was finally able to open his eye, he saw the barren trees below rushing at him quickly, ready to catch him in their unloving grasp. He spread his arms, and for a moment he could swear he felt himself catch the wind, but when he crashed into the dead wood, the length of his fall became all too clear. The trees snapped underneath him easily, offering little by way of cushioning his fall, and he struck the ground with enough force to crush a small cabin.

* * *

"I'm flattered!" Walker declared, throwing up his arms, the content of his teacup spilling over onto poor Tim, whom crowed unpleasantly as the hot drink burned its exposed skin.

"What?" Lavi questioned. Walker seemed to be batting his eyes at him.

"Oh, I'm just humbled you thought me magnificent, even as a fox!" Walker chirped. Lavi felt himself bewildered, but the boy's words did make sense. The archivist felt the same intense heat that had burned through his blood before. Noise didn't go ahead of them to track the fox down- he went out to rendezvous with the warlock, to lead Lavi into their trap. Kanda only stayed with him to have the last word. Lavi was right. He felt so stupid. That damned smile of his- Kanda blatantly had known that his rival would soon be dispatched. It was a smile of satisfaction, victory...

"Oh, but it's too bad, really," Walker interjected his roiling thoughts, "You ought to have seen the looks on their faces when I cursed you! They definitely weren't expecting a  _dragon_  to emerge out of you. The Lord, though..." His excited tone settled, "He gave me this look, like- ' _Stop messing around!_ '- so I had to push you off the cliff. Sorry about that, by the way."

Lavi shot him an agitated look. Walker quickly added, "Don't worry, don't worry! After you fell, they were convinced that you were gone for good. Oh, foolish they were indeed. They actually commended me for hiding your body. They paid me, and took off. I'm almost certain they would tell anyone concerned that a dragon had eaten you!" Walker shook his head. "Alas, they failed to confirm the damage. It's a good thing you survived, eh?"

Lavi wasn't feeling the same joy. He felt sick. Walker sat here before him, gleefully recounting the behind-the-scenes plot that had essentially ended Lavi's world. While the warlock assured him he had done him a favour by increasing the possibility that he wouldn't die from the fall, Lavi could only see things one way; Kanda would return to Westcliff, informing Lenalee of the grave news. Lavi was tragically killed by a dragon, and Kanda avenged his fallen 'friend' by slaying the beast and sending its corpse into the Devil's Wood. Kanda was now a hero thanks to a curse that Walker selected purely for his own amusement.

"How much did he pay you?" Lavi asked, weakly. He knew he couldn't match it. Walker laughed out loud.

"Oh, the question isn't how much he paid me," he said, "It's-  _what_  did he pay me?" Lavi found himself puzzled. Walker made it seem like Kanda had paid him a hefty sum- or perhaps, something far more absurd than that. "Enough of that, now. Let's get back to the matter at hand, shall we?" Walker coaxed. "I've decided I will change you back, after all. In fact, I'll even help you get into your little township and carry on with your betrothed! So let's just skip that second hand and get on to the last game, hmm?" He said, brightly. Lavi knew he was evading the question, but he carried on for the sake of getting away as soon as possible. Walker laid out the deck again. It shuffled itself, and like before, sixteen cards hovered before them.

"Now, we will decide my price. If you win, we can settle things on your terms. If I win," Walker smiled darkly, "I name the price."

The cards revealed themselves. Lavi stood triumphantly.

"Full house, I win," he declared. Walker seemed a little surprised, and looked at his own hand. He stared a moment, but then fanned the cards. One of his cards transformed, changing suits.

"Royal flush," Walker corrected him. Lavi's jaw fell, but he snapped it shut, smoke rising from his nostrils.

"No! You cheated!" he growled. " _I_  name the terms." Walker grinned, undaunted by the massive, angry dragon before him.

"Cheat? I would never. Now, my terms are as follows... in exchange for my assistance, you will serve me. You will be my humble minion, and follow my orders regardless of circumstance," he said, coolly, "My  _pet_ , if you will." Lavi rose to his full height. Outraged, he bellowed a wave of fire, torching the entire deck of cards. Their ashes scattered into the wind. He fell on his claws, stomping the blackened ground. He would be nobody's 'pet'. Walker was a scammer- a selfish child with his own agenda. His intentions were clear now- the only reason he was like this, the motive behind his whole act in 'saving' him from Kanda- all he wanted was some pet dragon to carry out his self-motivated deeds. There was no way, not in the deepest pits of Hell he would agree to such outrageous demands.

"Change me back  _now_ , Demon, or I'll crush you where you stand," he hissed, now face to snout with the warlock, "You're a cheat. I won your game, even-handed, so you follow _my_ rules-"

In an instant, Lavi felt his entire world expand around him. Walker knelt, pinching him by the tail. He was easily the size of a lizard. He thrashed about in a panic as Walker held him at eye-level, giving him a scornful look.

"I think you forget your place, Bookman. I'm rather disappointed in you. At this rate, I'm starting to reconsider my offer. You would make a terrible minion, turning on me at a moment's notice." A look of mock-hurt adorned his face. "I'll give you one last chance, Lavi. Do you accept my terms?"

"Of course not!" Lavi hissed, "Your terms are absolutely absurd!"

"... Very well, it seems my business with you is done, then," the boy said, setting him on the ground again. He gathered the tea set and the scorched blanket and took it inside the tower. Tim hopped over, eying Lavi in a way he didn't like. He spat a pathetic spark at the crow. Walker returned, scooping the foul thing away. He glanced down at Lavi, and for a moment, he almost looked hurt.

"My offer stands, you know. Perhaps your hubris is too great to accept my terms now, but in time... perhaps you'll find you need me after all." With that, he snapped his fingers, and Lavi returned to his full size. Walker stepped into the tower, shutting the door behind him. Before Lavi could even blink, the tower vanished into the night. Lavi was hurt, enraged, and now completely alone. He had nothing to fall back on anymore. In an instant, he stood and glared out into the darkness. The stunned understanding took hold of him- he'd just blown his only chance to right his life again. He paced, for minutes, hours, perhaps. He continued to gaze up to the steep cliff in the distance, now just a dark silhouette looming over the Devil's Wood.

This wasn't happening. No, he wouldn't let it happen. He couldn't allow Kanda to win. Lenalee  _had to_  know the truth. Lavi wasn't dead. Kanda was a murderer, and he'd conspired with a sorcerer to twist their fates. It was Kanda whom needed to pay for this. And Lavi would make him, no matter what happened to himself. All that mattered now was that Kanda pay for his crime. It was as if the savage animal took over at that moment, and Lavi had no intention of stopping it. The dragon beat its powerful wings, feeling the wind gather underneath them. Instinct grasped him, and he unleashed a jet of flames. Riding on that heat, he lifted into the dark sky, cloaked by the night. The moon was hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, and as Lavi ascended further, he too became shrouded. Nobody would see him approaching.

* * *

It was warm summer day, the first time he met her.

The sounds of noble merriment filled the air, the sounds of wine glasses connecting in a toast. Jokes were told. Wealthy men and women danced in a uniform fashion to a classic tune, while a group of gentlemen gathered about the newlyweds, congratulating them on their joining. The geishas stood nearby, fanning themselves as they gossiped. Bachelors approached them, and arm-in-arm they disappeared into the estate. It was the perfect day for a high-class wedding, but for Lavi, it was the perfect day to evade the guards and explore the Brighton Woods. There was a particular spot on his maps he wanted to see- the edge of the forest was supposedly 'the drop'. Below would be the Devil's Wood. Few had ventured there, and fewer came back alive.

As he passed the merry estate, something caught his eye. There were two kids among the adults. One was a boy about his age, with dark hair and a scowl on his face. He seemed to be scolding the other, a younger girl with equally dark hair drawn into pigtails. He wondered for a moment if they were related, but something told him they weren't. The boy tore the doll from her hands, raising it far above her head. The girl cried out, reaching for it, but just short of grasping the toy. The young Lavi found himself rapt, watching from the brush. The boy said something, and threw the doll over the gate. It landed next to him. The girl dropped to her knees and sobbed as the boy walked away.

Feeling sorry for the girl, he picked it up. It was torn somewhere along the arm, stuffing spilling from the 'wound'. Looking back to the scene, the girl was gone from sight. He stuffed the doll in his bag, next to the map and baguette he'd stored for lunch. Just as he might continue, he heard the girl sobbing again, somewhere above him. He peered up. There was a balcony just over the gate. The girl had relocated here to continue her crying. Her sobs were pathetic. Lavi approached the balcony.

"What's wrong, girl?" he called up to her. The girl looked up, her pigtails sticking to her flushed cheeks. Lavi blushed. She was cute.

"Yu is a bully!" she cried, "He's bossy! He makes me do everything, only because he says we're going to get married one day, just like my brother." She sniffed, turning back to the festivities. Lavi guessed that the groom was her older brother. "I don't want to get married to stupid Yu!" She resumed her sobbing. So the boy's name was Yu. He glanced back at the party. The boy, Yu, was now engaged in a fencing match with another boy.

"Wanna come with me?" Lavi chanced. The question was spontaneous, and he immediately questioned his resolve to ask it. What did he want with a girl? She was a noble, no less. She would only get him into trouble. He felt so sorry for her, though... somehow, he felt as if he could relate to her. After all, she was a kid, just like him. Maybe being a high-class kid wasn't much different than being just a normal one.

She looked up again, wiping away her tears on her little white dress. She sniveled.

"G-go where? I'll get in trouble..." she glanced back at her brother. Lavi smirked at her, and feigned a careless shrug.

"On an adventure. But I understand if you're too much of a  **chicken**..."

"I'm not a chicken!" she insisted. She leaned over the balcony. "Um..."

"Jump!" Lavi said. "I can catch you!" She looked uncertain. A third glance at the party. She then looked down to Lavi, and the ground.

"Alright, here I come!" She grabbed the front of her dress, gathering it at her side. She lifted herself on the balcony, and slid herself off. Lavi held out his arms, suddenly unsure if he could stop her fall. She fell into his arms, and both of the children fell to the ground. Lavi of course, was on the bottom of the pile. The girl giggled, picking herself up. Her tears were already long gone, in its place, an excited grin. "That was fun!"

Lavi picked himself up from the ground.

"I'm Lenalee!" she said, lifting her dress in a short curtsy.

"Lavi," he returned, "Come on, let's go before your brother finds you."

The kids sneaked to the outskirts of Westcliff. The guards were never observant enough to catch two children up to no good. He led Lenalee to small tunnel were the stream fed into the township. It was a very small space, but for two kids, it was only a short crawl away from the outside world. They emerged in a space concealed by a large brush. Lavi parted the foliage, and when he found the coast clear, he took Lenalee's hand and they made a dash into the woods.

Lenalee was being so quiet that Lavi had to stop just to make sure she was alright.

"I've never been this far out of Westcliff," she explained. She was everything but frightened, though, and Lavi could immediately tell he would take a liking to her.

"So..." Lavi began, clasping his hands behind his back, and marching around a tree. He picked up a pair of long switches from the ground and rounded it quickly, tossing one of them to Lenalee. She caught it, and Lavi thrust his toward her. "En Garde, Lenalee!" She seemed startled, but quickly caught on. Her smile was confident. She put an arm around her back and parried every one of Lavi's advances. They battled until she backed Lavi up to the stream. With one last thrust, she sent Lavi tumbling on his back into the stream. He dropped the switch in surrender. Lenalee smiled, dropping her own and offering another curtsy. Lavi couldn't believe he'd just been bested in swordplay by a girl.

"You're really good," he conceded, sounding a little embarrassed. Lenalee helped him out of the stream.

The kids ventured deeper into the woods. Lavi pulled out his map from time to time, and though he didn't want to admit it, he was lost. It was becoming late in the day, and the noon sun was beginning to droop into the horizon. Lenalee was catching on to the situation, and he felt her walking closer to him now.

"You're not scared of the dark, are you?" he asked her, chuckling. Lenalee seemed offended.

"I'm not afraid of the dark!" she declared, straightening up. She was acting braver than she felt, and it was showing. Soon, they came to a stop. They had arrived at the edge of the Reach- and as the trees around them spread, they could see the vast sea of foliage below stretching as far as the horizon.

"What's that?" Lenalee asked quietly.

"The Devil's Wood," Lavi answered, peering down at the spectacle, "They say a demon lives in it."

"WHAT?!" she shrieked, and Lavi covered her mouth, shushing her. She calmed, and for a few minutes they both gazed at the expanse of woodland below them. Then, she turned to Lavi again with a new question. "Are you gonna go down there?" Lavi shook his head. Lenalee smirked, "Chicken?"

"No, it's not that..." he said, his gaze still pointed below. She returned her gaze downward as the sun set and thunder rumbled in the sky.

"We should go home," Lenalee finally said, but when she turned to Lavi, he was gone.

" **ROAR!** " he howled behind her, and Lenalee was so startled that she lost her footing and tumbled from the fringe. Lenalee shrieked.

"Lavi!"

"Lenalee!" He peered over the edge. Lenalee was holding on for dear life. "Grab my hand!" He called, holding it out for her. She hesitated, but without much option, she reached for his hand. Lenalee got a tight grip on his hand; just then, the little footing she had to keep her from falling gave way. Lenalee dropped deeper along with Lavi in hand, but he was able to stop any further decent. The impending fall wasn't a straight vertical drop, but an incline made up of rock-strewn terrain. Vertical or not, Lavi wasn't planning on letting them fall.

"Pull me up, Lavi! Quick!" Lenalee cried. Lavi's arm shot with pain as a freezing wind pounded his body. "Please! Please, you can do it," she shrieked desperately.

He wanted so desperately to pull her up, but he wasn't strong enough. Lavi's gaze met Lenalee's, and at that moment they both knew she was going to plunge. It was a futile moment for him. The thought of letting her go and saving his own life crossed his mind. He quickly pushed that option out of his head. Lavi's grip on her got tighter as his strength slowly left him. The rain came down hard and cold. Sadly, Lavi's strength had now completely disappeared. The children plummeted down hand in hand. The world seemed to go in slow motion as they fell down the steep inclined mountain. Their bodies were tossed like lifeless forms down the gravel. Lightning flashed as the children landed on a small ledge jutting out halfway down.

Rain trickled down Lavi's face and his body throbbed, sore and pained. He wasn't certain if he were still alive, or if Lenalee had survived. The boy moved his head to find her next to him, lying face down in the damp earth. He opened his mouth to ask if she was okay. No words formed from his lips, only gasps for air. He lifted his torso and sat up. To his surprise he wasn't severely hurt - the only serious wound was to his knee, which was bleeding profusely. Lenalee wasn't so lucky. Her white dress was tattered and drenched with the blackened dirt, and blood. There was an enormous wound on her head, bleeding like the rushing stream she'd pushed him into. The girl's body laid in an awkward position with her legs and arms tangled in the freezing mud. Lavi began to crawl to her slowly. His body, shivering from the cold, inched its way toward her.

"Oh my God, Lenalee!" a voice screeched in horror from above. Lavi peered upward and saw two forms in the mist. One was her brother, and the other was the Grand Magister- Marian Cross. Both adults had been looking for the missing children for hours. Lavi was barely conscious enough to recognise them. The Grand Magister conjured two pink bubbles, which drifted down to the children and enveloped them inside. Lenalee's bubble ascended first. Lavi's drifted upward slowly, and for a moment he expected Cross to snap it and let him plummet a second time.

When he reached the edge, the bubble popped, dumping Lavi into the mud unceremoniously. Lenalee's brother held her wilted body in his arms, sobbing profusely and attempting to stop the bleeding. Cross attended to Lenalee. He held a hand over her wound, and miraculously, the skin sealed up and the bleeding stopped.

"Take her home, Komui." Cross instructed. Komui didn't need to be told twice. Without so much as acknowledging Lavi, he held his sister as he climbed onto his horse, riding back toward Westcliff.

Cross turned on Lavi, towering over the boy with an accusing gaze. "What the hell is your problem, boy? If she dies, it's your fault for being so damned careless. What were you thinking?"

Lavi couldn't respond. He couldn't argue, because Cross was right. The man crossed his arms. "Don't you ever talk to Lenalee again, you hear me? You are to never to see her again. You're lucky I don't have you arrested for this. I hope for your sake you've learned your lesson, boy, and your place."

Cross left Lavi in the mud, riding back to catch up with Komui.

The rain was ceaseless and it came crashing down on Lavi in his puddle. It was his fault Lenalee was hurt. He'd never felt so stupid and weak in his life. Some time had passed before Lavi finally dragged himself out of the mud and headed home. He limped his way slowly to Westcliff. He wasn't in any rush to get back for the reason he feared the other villagers would be as mean as the Grand Magister had been. Lavi understood why, though. He could have killed her. He trembled. He would never see Lenalee again.

* * *

Seeing the lights below drew Lavi from the memory.

He drifted lower, peering into the township. He was stunned by how well he could see. In the dark of night, nobody could see him circling from the air, but to Lavi, he could see everything below as if he were a hawk with night vision.

He quickly reminded himself of his resolve. He needed to find Kanda, and punish him. The guards were drifting off, enjoying their booze, as usual, very unaware of the threat from above. He spotted the Lee estate. It was the same as ever- a lush courtyard and garden dominated by the two-story estate, its many balconies jutting out on every side. He spotted several people on these balconies. On the west platform, Komui and his wife, Fo, were enjoying a glass of wine. In the north balcony was Cross himself, accompanied by three scantily-clad women.  _Classy as ever_ , Lavi thought.

Then he spotted the man.

Kanda was standing on the south balcony- Lenalee's. He was faced toward the door, and Lavi could see the shadow moving about within. His arms were spread at his sides, as if he was arguing with her about something. Lenalee emerged from her room, paced, and looked up at Kanda several times before he took hold of her hands. She stopped, and fell into his arms. She was crying.

Lavi felt rage boiling in his chest. He'd been lied to. Lenalee was supposed to be in Pemberley. He despaired that his letter never made it to her at all. And now, from the looks of it, Kanda was breaking the news to her. Lenalee's husband to be was dead. He should have killed Kanda when he could. He should have run away and took Lenalee with him. This whole mess could have been avoided.

The two stood there for a few minutes, and Lavi watched them, his murderous thoughts stirring like a volcano ready to burst. Then, Kanda made the very mistake Lavi was looking out for. He dropped to one knee, and took Lenalee's hand in his own. The insensitive imp was asking for her hand. Lavi could contain it no longer. Regardless of his condition, he could not allow this to happen. Once again, instinct took over, and Lavi tucked in his wings, and fell into a dive. He approached the balcony so fast, it wasn't until the last moment that Lenalee saw the shadow approaching. Mid-dive, he turned on his side, opening his wings. He reached for Kanda, who ducked. His claws closed instead around Lenalee.

He swept past the balcony, orienting himself. He didn't intend to catch Lenalee at all. He stopped, suspending himself over the courtyard. Lenalee shrieked, kicking and screaming in his grip. It astounded Lavi how quickly the entire militia had gathered outside the estate. He could see the ballistae trained on him. They didn't hesitate to load their weapons, and Lavi responded with a fireball. The men shouted drunken curses and leaped away as the siege weapon burst into flame.

"What are you buffoons waiting for?! Take it down! Fire, fire!" Kanda barked from the balcony, his dark eyes filling with hatred. Kanda knew it was Lavi. The men surrounding him began firing their crossbows. This was unbelievable. Lavi pounded his wings, gaining air, and he rose higher until he was out of the militia's range. Lenalee's screams turned into sobs of despair.

"Drop me at once!" she shrieked, her fists thumping his claws ineffectively. Unfortunately, Lavi wasn't going to do that. He wasn't going to drop her, not again. He returned to the clouds, Westcliff shrinking into but a spec of red in the night, his prize kicking and screaming in his claws.


	3. Flight

The court was in total upheaval.

Nobles from both the House of Lee as well as Fort Honning were present, throwing accusations and plans of action across the room. Some wanted to send a militia after the beast to rescue her, while others despaired that their Lady was doomed. There was a general dismay among the Kanda, as this would be the second time an opportunity to unite the two Houses has been interrupted. There were few among them wondering if it were an omen speaking.

Cross stood near the front of the assembly. There were many looking to him for answers, expecting him to hatch a plan to rescue their beloved Lenalee. Protecting her  _was_  his job, Cross acknowledged, but the truth was that he had no such answers for them. He swirled the contents of his glass, watching the red liquid as the questions rolled off his ears.

"What are you going to do?"

"Curse the beast! Can't you use your magic to bring her back?"

"Why didn't your wards keep that thing out?!"

"Can't you just summon her back?"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, there were heated arguments amongst Kanda's men. The Lord appeared very irritated with the questions as well, Cross noted, as the man's eyes were cast downward, to an impartial spot on the floor. The men's voices were relatively hushed, but Cross knew what they were saying. The first time the House offered Lenalee's hand, the plans were put on indefinite hold when she fell from the Reach, in which she returned to Westcliff in a coma. She was under the Grand Magister's care in this time, and there was nothing he could do but keep her alive until she awakened. He employed Father Krory's assistance, if only to keep the people complacent and hopeful that she would one day awaken.

Fort Honning was less patient, however. After waiting five years, the arrangement was canceled, as they believed that their Lord's betrothed was to perish before she came of age. Even Lord Komui had begun to lose hope as his young sister neared her 16th birthday, which was the formal age at which she would be wed. Despite this, Cross fulfilled his duty to watch over her, and he knew only of one young man whose faith in Lenalee's recovery did not once waver. Had five years not passed since her untimely accident, Cross would have sent him away, with a nasty illness to keep him out. Even though Lavi had in fact been the reason she was in such a state, Cross was moved by the boy's dedication to ensure her well-being. Every night, Cross watched as he passed the estate, glancing nervously at the Lady's balcony- the guilt in his eyes was so familiar. He too once wore that guilt.

Perhaps he did feel sorry for the boy, or perhaps he'd had too much to drink, but he did finally confront him as he passed by and invited him inside to talk.

" _What do you regret?_ " he'd asked him, handing the young man a glass of his favoured wine. The lad only peered down at it bitterly, but when he spoke, Cross did not hear the bitterness behind his voice.

" _I regret that I met her,_ " was his response, and it surprised the older man. Cross didn't have to ask for him to elaborate, because Lavi continued as if every word drew blood. " _I should never have spoken to her. I was a stupid child, I wanted to break the rules. I should never have dragged her into it. I'd skipped study that day with my master to look for trouble. I should have stayed inside the Archives, where I belonged. Lenalee's was not my life to ruin."_

Cross smiled, which took Lavi aback. His blind eye seemed to pale in anger of the mockery.

" _You think I'm lying?_ "

Cross nodded. Lavi's face flushed with anger, and he threw the tumbler at the wall, scattering the red liquid.

" _Every word I speak rings truth. If I could return to that day and lock myself in the study, I w-!"_

" _I'm not as daft as you might think, boy,"_ Cross had cut him off, " _You've been wanting her since the day you stole her off of that balcony._ " Lavi's lips pressed into a thin line, but he did not comment as Cross stood. " _You think I haven't watched you? You yearn to see her every day. While the Lords of Fort Honning have already turned their backs on her, it is you who continues waiting. Now, tell me the truth-"_ Cross was in Lavi's face now, almost nose-to-nose. His next words came out slowly and deliberately. " _-what do you regret?_ "

" _That I never told you what an absolute prick you are, sir._ " Cross raised his glass and drank.

It was shortly after their encounter that Lenalee rose from her coma, much to the celebration of Westcliff. Cross saw to it that Lavi be her primary caretaker as she underwent rehabilitation. He witnessed Lavi's patience as she reacquainted herself to the world, and to the harsh expectations she had to meet as a noble. She wasn't perfect- not for any man properly raised in the factions, but to Lavi it seemed she was worth every waking moment. This was why, when Lavi approached him again three years after, he offered no objection to their marriage. Komui had also warmed up to the lad, and despite his disappointment that Lavi could offer nothing by way of adding to the family's assets, had also agreed to the marriage.

Of course, the fairy tale ending everyone had expected never came to be. Fort Honning eventually got word of the Lady's recovery, and shortly after Lavi's proposal, they returned to Westcliff seeking to renew their arrangement between Yu and Lenalee. It was perhaps the most awkward moment in Wescliff's history, Cross thought, because the Kanda's reaction to the news of Lenalee's engagement was the equivalent of finding out your prized horse had been mistaken for livestock, sent to the slaughterhouse, and placed before you on a platter of gold. In other words, they were less than pleased they had been outbid.

Now that Lavi was once again out of the picture, Kanda attempted to make another move on Lenalee. It was for this reason he immediately suspected their involvement in Lavi's disappearance. It would easily explain why Lord Yu refused to meet his eyes. It would not, however, explain where a dragon had come from, specifically targeting the couple. Cross was uncertain if the dragon had intended to capture her or not, but one thing was clear in the matter. Cross set his tumbler on the table before him and stood, raising an arm. The crowd knew better than to speak when the Grand Magister ordered a silence, and so the chattering quickly died down.

"I wish to speak privately with your Lord Yu Kanda," he announced, and the man identified glanced up, seemingly breaking away from a deep trance. It was then they met eyes, and Cross knew the man had something to hide. "If you would please excuse us." Cross then exited the court, retreating to the hallway. He could hear Kanda following him, and without a word they relocated to the Grand Magister's office. When Yu entered, the door shut behind him on its own, and Cross placed a muffling ward on the wall. Yu knew that particular ward, and as soon as Cross was finished, he turned on the defensive, safe from prying ears.

"I did not intend for this!" he spat.

"I haven't even accused you of anything!" Cross said, his brow raised, "But, since you're in the mood for confessions, why don't you start with why you murdered Lavi." Kanda seemed to be at war with himself, but ultimately, he would have no choice but to give him what he wanted.

"I didn't..." he muttered at first, but then, taking a deep, shaky breath, he said, "I didn't murder him."

"Do enlighten me, then," Cross coaxed.

Kanda began to explain the events which transpired in Fort Honning. He was publicly ridiculed as useless, unable to wed despite his age. A waste of good blood, all because he failed to make his vows to Lenalee. Fort Honning was a coastal settlement, and their lands were not overly fertile. What little fertility the land offered was used sparingly. Their little resources were used to hunt, fish, and draw water from the one river which ran into the sea. Sadly, a bad storm had destroyed much of their harbours, killed their crops, and left little in its wake to recover. Honning was in bad shape, and began reaching out to other townships for aid. Every time they were turned down, the blame came back to Kanda, despite his every effort to rebuild what they had lost.

When he got word of Lenalee's recovery, his hope reignited, and he was so determined to restore his name and bring hope back to his people that he made the long trip back to Westreach to reintroduce their offer.

"I was devastated that she had chosen that filth. Was he not the one that put her life in danger in the first place?" Kanda seethed. "She deserved more. I could give her so much better than him, but she chose not only bad blood, but insufficiency. I could not allow it to happen. I knew I had to remove him from the equation, but I could not simply gut him. Believe me when I say now, Magister, I am not proud of what I did, and I have every intention of setting things right.

"I sought out a means to even the odds in my favour, and for a time, I thought it was working. I had Lenalee in the palm of my hand..." Kanda trailed off a moment. Cross had a sinking feeling he knew what was coming. "I could never have approached you with such a request, but I knew of one being who would. I found him in the Devil's Wood-,"

" **What were you thinking, you inbred son of a bitch!?** " Cross barked, startling Kanda as a book came flying at his head. He stepped aside, allowing its pages to drop to the floor in a heap. He gathered up Kanda's shirt and nearly lifted the smaller man off the floor. " **Do you have ANY idea what you have done?! What did you tell him? What did you GIVE him?** "

Without warning, Cross tore off the Lord's shirt, revealing the intricate pattern on his chest. The Grand Magister threw him to the floor in rage, facing away and trying not to rip out his own hair. Lord Yu watched him, unsure how to respond to his outburst.

"I told him to be rid of Lavi, nothing more!" Kanda said quickly. Cross rounded on him, pointing an accusing finger to his tattoo.

"And I don't suppose you have the slightest  _fucking_  clue what this means, do you?" he said. Kanda remained silent. "Did he tell you it would help the nightmares go away? Did he tell you it was necessary as part of his ritual?"

"He told me to hide something for him, a magic- he assured me it would not bring me harm!" Kanda said from the floor.

"It won't harm  _you_ , Kanda. Gods below..." Cross swore. Another glass appeared in his hand and he swished it, then hastily downed it. He slammed the container down on his desk and slumped into the armchair, turning his head to Kanda as if every movement caused him pain.

"What of Lavi, then?" he asked weakly, his attempts at keeping his focus in check becoming difficult.

"It's... hard to say. At first, we thought he would die. His skin tore apart in front of our eyes, but then..." Kanda paused, unsure how to continue, "That was him. The dragon. He has Lenalee." Cross smiled weakly, looking away from him a moment.

"He always did have a soft spot for dragons," he murmured fondly. He quickly righted himself. "That isn't important. I know what we must do."

Kanda watched him expectantly.

"You," he pointed again at Kanda, "Must leave Westcliff immediately. We must bring back Lenalee- Lavi, too, if we can- but most importantly... we must destroy my former apprentice."

* * *

This was precisely the last thing Lenalee needed right now. Lavi was missing, Kanda was again on the hunt for her hand, and now she was in a situation which could be reasonably described as perilous. Not only were dragons supposed to have been hunted to extinction some few decades back, this one seemed to be resolute in taking her as far from Westreach as possible. She had long since given up trying to break its grip- she doubted it had any intention of simply dropping her, which, in a way, she did appreciate. She watched the Devil's Wood flow underneath them, the unwelcoming tendrils from which it reached like grasping fingers looking far less inviting than wherever this dragon was taking her.

 _/This beast is a product of sorcery./_ The Voice informed her.

Three years ago, Lenalee was a victim trapped in her own mind. She was told her coma lasted for five years, but to Lenalee, it was hard to determine how long she spent in that dream world. The Voice had introduced itself to her in this time, speaking with her conscience and teaching her things. In her dreams, the Voice took the form of a little girl, much like herself, so she liked to think of it as female. When she questioned things, the Voice almost always had an answer, although often vague.

 _How do you know?_  Lenalee questioned.

/  _It is the same energy which binds me to you._ /

The Voice sometimes claimed to have once had a physical body, perhaps that of the little girl in her dreams, Lenalee guessed, and tells her that it is bound to her mind with strange magics. She didn't know who put her there, how, or why, but claims to feel energy of the same nature coming from the Devil's Wood. As curious as she was at the time to find the answers to this phenomenon, she had spent much of the last three years with the Voice's company learning how to function again. She was not in any condition to venture there, and she had a feeling Lavi wouldn't have allowed it. He was mightily protective of her since she woke.

The mere thought of where Lavi was now stirred her mind again into turmoil. She was told by Kanda there was a terrible accident, and that he'd fallen from the Reach. Part of her wanted to believe he was still alive. She did not know which was true, or if both were a lie and Kanda had in fact orchestrated his death. Kanda's story just didn't add up. Assuming Lavi had fallen from the Reach, wouldn't there be a body? A man of his status would not simply make a claim with no proof. There would have been a search, led by the Grand Magister himself, in fact, to confirm this. It was believed that those who died in the Devil's Wood became the phantoms which haunt it. The thought of Lavi's manifested hatred drifting across its black soil was unnerving to say the least.

Now, Lenalee wondered, where this dragon came into the equation. The Voice stated she could feel the magic roiling off of it. It must have come from the Devil's Wood, because she could think of no other explanation for the Voice's observation.

_Voice?_

The entity acknowledged her, but no words were manifested.

_Could the dragon be connected to you?_

/ _Why would it be?_ /

_You share an aura. You said so yourself._

/ _I cannot see how that is relevant. This dragon is of flesh, not spirit. It cannot sense my presence._ /

Lenalee pondered this. The dragon must have come from somewhere. Westcliff believed them to be extinct, but if dragons were living in the Devil's Wood somewhere, they wouldn't know it, because nobody ever ventures there. If the dragon was a flesh creature, what motive would it have to attack Westcliff, unless it was under a dark influence? This might be possible. Whatever put the Voice in Lenalee's head could also have planted a similar intelligence in that of the beast's. If she was to believe this, it was plausible to think that it came from the same source.

/ _This is logical./ The Voice seemed to agree._

_It won't matter... I'm not going anywhere. I can't look for any proof in this._

/The dragon has not harmed you. _/_ She pointed out.

_Maybe it's waiting until we land._

It would be soon, Lenalee noted, as the mists around them began to allow for shapes as they descended. They were no longer flying over the Devil's Wood, but drifting through the mountains beyond them, perilous drops on either sides of them which ended in a sure death among the jutting spires below. Few dared ventured here, for the risk was far too great for any being without wings to catch them. She didn't know what manner of creatures dwelled here, and she wasn't keen on finding out. She already had a dragon to worry about.

A piercing screech both interrupted her thoughts and answered her question. The dragon suddenly careened and began to fall, and when its grip loosened, Lenalee found herself clinging to it for life- they were still much too high up to drop safely from the sky. It managed to right itself, and she got a glimpse of the assailant. It was a massive black eagle, or at least, that's what it appeared to be at first glance. Its shadow rippled behind them, and Lenalee realised that its form was in fact a great dark storm cloud, lightning shuddering across its wingspan.

Adrenaline started to pump through her system. Although she was a hostage here, the dragon was still her only ally in this situation, as the dark eagle was keen on dropping them both from the sky. Its beak opened in an awful display, and thunder boomed from its crackling throat. They  _needed_ to land. The dragon was in full control of their course, and she didn't trust it to know better. She had to do something about that before the eagle toasted them both. Lenalee drew the dirk from her boot. It was short enough to conceal in her garments, but just long enough to be useful. The dragon's grip had shifted when it almost dropped, and now that Lenalee could curl upwards, she could reach the spot just under its arm. She gave it a good stab, and the dragon made a strange noise as its grip faltered just enough for her to pull herself onto its back.

It was poorly timed. The eagle was now soaring just over them, and its dark blue talons reached for her. She slashed at its open claws, but another sudden lurch sent her off balance, and the eagle was able to grab hold of her arms and lift her away. Its claws burrowed into her flesh and she shouted out in pain, dropping her weapon. The eagle's shriek drowned her out as it altered course. At least the dragon had been gentle. The eagle's flight was fast and jerky, taking turns so abruptly she thought she might lose one of her arms. It was short-lived, thankfully, as the eagle approached its destination. It was a massive, rounded nest built like a cave within an outcropping of spires. She was dropped unceremoniously inside, and she rolled deeper into it until her head met a hard surface, and she blacked out.

* * *

Lavi couldn't have been more proud to call Lenalee his fiancé, but sometimes, her fiery temperament and daring nature put her into more trouble than she needed to be in. The bird was angry with him for entering her territory, and without so much as a chance to turn away, it attacked, and it left a nice big tear behind his wing which he was reminded of each time it caught the wind. Despite the pain he was in, he was still looking for a place to lose his pursuer, but it was starting to seem like a fight was inevitable. He really had no desire to fight something that spat lightning bolts, either.

Suddenly, another pain emerged from below, and his arms flinched when the sharp sensation stacked over the wound left by the lightning bird. Why Lenalee decided to do that was beyond him, but when she climbed onto his back, he wanted to scream to her it was not safe there. Before he could, the bird was flying almost directly over them, and stretched out her claws to collect her prey. With another thundering squawk, the eagle turned tailfeather and began to fly south with Lenalee in tow. Lavi was not nearly as agile as the megaraptor was, and he circled in a wide flank which left the bird almost out of his line of sight. The tear in his wing was gushing blood, and if he didn't land soon he would probably fall out of the sky. He could already feel the loss of blood beginning to sap at his strength.

Being blind in one eye didn't help. The cloudy black eagle didn't exactly stand out in any extravagant colours, so he had to rely on his ability to observe his surroundings to track the creature's path. He passed a static cloud as he banked a corner, following it and catching sight of the lightning dancing across the eagle's wings. He followed it into a very narrow gorge, one which he could not make out the bottom of. Each time he peered down into the abyss, it almost seemed to stare right back at him. He resolved to keep his sight ahead, and that's when he finally held the assailant in his vision.

It was perched over a massive collection of shredded logs and rock, all crafted together into a makeshift cave… or nest. It was not ignorant of his approach. The monster raised its wings, spreading them at full length, lighting up in a display of bright blue. Lavi had only seconds to drop to the ground once he realised what was happening; the bird brought its wings together, and a flash of dazzling electricity crackled into the night air, blinding him. Out of the light, the bird wasted no time in diving for him, hooking its talons at the base of his wings and dragging him backward, into the gaping pit. Reopening a wound was an understatement- it felt closer to digging a brand new one and burying a spiked mace inside.

Lavi was struggling against the bird's pull, which only invited its talons to sink deeper into his muscle, and he could swear he heard some bones snap. He would only have a matter of seconds to live before he was completely screwed. He felt the ground beneath his resisting feet crumble from under him, and now, the only thing keeping him alive was his failing grip on the earth by his torso.

He turned to have one last look at his killer, and in doing so he noticed something to his right and above them, something he didn't observe earlier partly because of his blind spot.

It looked as if the bird had built another nest here at some point in time, but this one was somehow constructed with small boulders and a stringy material which kept them suspended like a giant rocky hammock. He opened his jaws and spat a torrent of fire at the clumsy structure, easily unbinding the rocks, which tumbled from it like a concentrated landslide. They were right on target. The eagle unanchored itself from his back in attempt to escape, but it wasn't fast enough. The beast took the brunt of the hit, and Lavi was able to pull himself back onto solid ground. Showered and battered with boulders, the birds fragile wings were easily snapped, and it fell with its decommissioned nest into the endless pit. Lavi listened for a thud, or a splash, or just anything, but no such sounds traveled back up.

Eerie.

He turned his attention to the other nest. Lenalee must have been dropped in there, which meant that this thing had offspring, and he wouldn't doubt for a moment they could turn out to be just as voracious, if not more so, than their parent. Unfortunately, the damage caused by their mother left him with little mobility, and it wouldn't be possible for him to reach the nest from the ground, as he was. He wanted to call up to her, to make sure she was alright, but he wasn't naïve enough to think that his inhuman voice wouldn't simply drive her away instead. The blood loss was steady now, and Lavi was too weak even to stand. He wasn't sure if he liked the utter silence from the nest, either.

How  _did_  a dragon go about healing its wounds? He wondered.

Assuming that monster didn't return from its fall, he could remain where he was and try to wait it out. If he knew anything about the Sod's Law, however, it was a scrape of a chance his healing would go uninterrupted, or without consequence such as developing a nasty infection. He again gazed up at the nest. His mind was torn between ensuring Lenalee's safety and ensuring his own survival. His fate really enjoyed testing him.

"I see you hold well on your own!"

Lavi immediately growled at the intruder. A smaller, white-scaled drake appeared at the top of the gorge overlooking the platform he was resting on. Lavi had no strength to put up another fight, even though he ventured Walker had every intention to try winning him back. The warlock laughed impishly before gliding to the earth in which Lavi lay.

"It's kill or be killed in the wilderness, and were I any territorial creature you would be easy prey right now." Walker said, circling his flank, Lavi's eye following his every move. Walker noticed this, and his jaws cracked open in what could only be a reptilian grin. "Cauterise your wounds, Lavi, I need you alive."

"I know what you want, and I already told you my answer," Lavi grumbled, although he was reluctant to show his gratefulness for the survival tip. He looked hesitantly at his wounds, and exhaled fire upon himself. His flesh seared in pain, but when he was finished, the wound had closed shut and was no longer bleeding.

"Your words wound me," Walker frowned, but nonetheless continued, "I wanted to propose something new."

Lavi felt these words coming from just about any being wielding magic were dangerous ones. He knew already what sort of agenda the warlock had been trying to put into motion, and the fact that he showed his face again after failing once only served as proof that Lavi played a role in his plans.

"I need your help, Lavi," Walker finally pleaded. Lavi remained unmoved.

"I already knew that," he snorted, "And I already-!"

"A calamity is nearing its time and if I face this alone I may very well fail," the boy said, all jesting tones now gone. "If I fail, everything you know will cease to exist, everyone you love will die." Walker's eyes seemed to glance at the nest in a moment, then returned to Lavi. "I am not immune to the influence of this force, but  _you_  are."

"What force? What in the seven realms are you talking about?" Even though his words puzzled Lavi, the idea that any harm could come to Lenalee frightened him. His attention was effectively held despite this. The warlock seemed at war with himself, and Lavi could only guess what he could possibly be thinking. He was getting ready to label this as a trick, when Walker seemed to hit an impassable wall within his own mind which resulted in an annoyed huff. He changed into his human form again, and with some fancy hand gestures, Lavi suddenly felt the pain of his broken wing disappear. In fact, his wing was gone entirely.

Walker returned him to human form, without so much as a sleazy wager or impish comment. He spoke up before Lavi had even a second to voice his surprise by this development, or question his lack of clothing.

"Hear me out, Archivist- you've told me your story, and now I share with you mine. Just listen to me, and I'll won't turn you into a giant lizard again."

Lavi didn't bother to respond, because, historically, naked people never win arguments.


	4. The Locked Door

Lavi has had dreams about flying- before becoming a dragon, of course- and the spell Walker cast on him seemed to bring him into one. The earth below their feet sank. Not like it would if he were standing in quicksand, but rather it dissolved into blackness, and the scenery abruptly changed. They were standing in a river bank, though as the water flowed past his ankles and should very well be roaring past him, he neither heard nor felt anything. They were standing in the shadow of another massive bird of prey, although this one was unlike the electric raptor he'd narrowly escaped from. Its wings were instead rippling under the light, its feathers translucent and watery. It should have been swooping in to attack them, Lavi thought, but instead it simply remained, hovering over them like a giant wax statue.

"Is that thing real?"

"Yes," Walker answered, a plaintive smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Then why isn't it moving?"

"It  _is_  moving. It's just in a slower timestream. We haven't left the Spires, either. This is all taking place in your mind- a vision of a real place, as it is."

There were several islands scattered both up the river and down, of various sizes and shapes and each displaying a different event. On one island, there was a man cloaked in a gown of purple satin, his torso twisted around and his arm outreached, palm outward, as if trying to block something coming from behind him.

"He was a Magister's Initiate, long before even Cross's time," Walker explained, noticing Lavi's eye on him. "An initiate of the Magistrates doesn't often survive apprenticeship. This poor sod walked right into his own banishing portal. I'm not certain what had been chasing him- something bad, if I am to read the look on his face. Whatever it was is long dead by now. I don't think he'll ever make it out of there, either.  _That_ timestream is one of the slower ones. I think the only development in there for three hundred years has been his mouth opening. He must be shouting."

Walker began moving up the river, and Lavi followed him. It slowly began to dawn on him just what this place was, although Lavi honestly thought it was merely an old legend.

"This is the Timeless Isles, isn't it?" Lavi asked warily. The warlock nodded. The Timeless Isles were an anomaly of time and space alike, the very centre of dimensional speculation. Each little island operated in its own timestream, so even if one were to remain there for only a few seconds, a century could pass in the real world. Even the opposite could happen. One could spend an eternity inside an island and leave that timestream only to find that time had in fact not moved since you entered it. It could be devastating to the psyche. Walker halted his march, and pointed to an island about twenty yards upstream.

"There," he said, and Lavi could hear the sudden discontent in his tone. Lavi followed his gesture, seeing an island occupied by a lone figure, tall and faceless, except for the disconcerting grin plastered on his face like a mask. He was running, or at least he looked like he might have been. He was reaching for something ahead of him, and Lavi saw it when he squint his eyes. It was a tiny, black stone. The man's long, slender fingers were coiling around it, but it wasn't quite touching his skin yet. Walker seemed crestfallen.

"So… what about him?" Lavi finally asked, after allowing the boy a long reprieve.

"He is the calamity. Millennium."

"No way-!" Lavi faltered, "He was banished thousands of years ago by the First Magister, Mana. Wait… Mana banished him here?"

"Yes. He wasn't supposed to be able to escape either," Walker said, "Unlike the other isles, this one is warded. The last of Mana's power was used to keep Millennium from simply walking out of the timestream. He is physically incapable of freeing himself. Unless he is afforded aid…" Walker trailed off. His eyes seemed to be focused elsewhere on the island.

He then turned his attention on Lavi. "I am the direct descendent of the First Magister. I am also the chosen vessel of Nea, shepherd of the Millennium Incarnate."

"Millennium incarnate? Do you mean this demon laid some eggs before Mana banished him?"

"Er, not exactly. He did, so to speak, but they aren't his children. Millennium left traces of his power in the world before he ended up here. His powers each found a human host and attached itself to their souls. When those men and women eventually passed on, their spirits became immortal- at least as long as Millennium was still alive somewhere- and so far they have lain dormant."

"How do you know all of this?" Lavi questioned him. Walker was beginning to grow impatient with his questions.

"Nea told me. Before Nea chose me, I was simply an initiate. I was training under Master Cross, of Westreach, but once he noticed Nea's presence in me, he tried to kill me. He even tried banishing me, and I narrowly escaped becoming one of these statues in the river.

But Cross didn't understand Nea. He wasn't- he  _isn't_ \- like the rest of the Incarnates. The others want Millennium to return, they want him to rejoin them on the mortal plane and reshape the world to their liking. Nea is different. He sees the beauty that is the earth, the thriving ecosystems and complex organisms that inhabit them. He wants to protect it. I have lived long in the Devil's Wood, the old stomping grounds of Millennium himself, trying to restore it. I've come to realise this task will be impossible so long as Millennium continues to live."

"So," Lavi said slowly, "You want to kill a demon, so that you can return your forest to its former green… ness."

"That about sums it up, yes." Walker smiled cheerlessly. "Though, there is much more to it than just that."

* * *

"Boy!"

The Grand Magister's voice bellowed throughout the chamber, but it went unanswered. An irritated grumble followed. He was calling for his apprentice, who was decidedly engaged in more important activities such as not cleaning up a spilt wine glass his master had knocked over in his love-making.

"BOOOOOOOY!" Cross roared again, and this time he couldn't ignore it. He set the tome down and exited the study, apologising to the kitten napping quietly in his lap. It hissed at the sudden interruption, but recovered from its fall and scampered after the boy. It was a long walk across the estate, but he took his time, as he was not particularly enamored with whatever his master might want him to do. Sometimes his garden needed watering, or there was a spider, or he'd run out of bum tissue.

/ _Wait._ / Nea warned him. His hand was only inches from opening the door into his office.

_Nea?_

/ _I feel a disturbance. We are not alone._ /

_It's probably just his mistress._

/ _No, it is another like me. Tread carefully._ /

That was unsettling. The spirit had identified itself as the shepherd of the Millennium Incarnate, but also mentioned that no others had manifested themselves on this plane. If they did, he would know. He never did mention if they were a peaceful lot, but the warning he voiced just now made it seem like they wouldn't be friendly. Nea said nothing more, so he opened the door to Cross's study very gingerly, stepping foot inside as if peering around a corner to check for danger.

The man was seated before the window, wine glass in hand. He swirled his drink slowly, smelled its contents, then sipped, as if casually enjoying the sunset. This puzzled his apprentice, as he was expecting a much more wanton display of the man's passions to greet his eyes. His pet bird, Timcanpy, was sitting contentedly on its perch, clicking his beak at the door. Cross turned his attention from the window a moment.

"Come inside, Allen." It was an order. Nervously, he shut the door behind him and stepped to the centre of the room. To his left was a bed fit for a king, with silk tapestries surrounding it- which Cross never bothered with when exercising his libido- and bedding so damned soft one could sink into it for days. To his right was his "study", consisting of a long desk with a few books stacked on top, but behind it was a tall wine holder. Many emptied bottles sat on the undisturbed desk space. Next to it stood Tim's perch, and next to that was the mantle of his fireplace. Cross rarely put it to use except to arouse his mistresses, because otherwise he would just regulate the temperature of the room magically. It was about the only thing he did on his own. He usually found enjoyment in making Allen fulfill his needs manually, and without magic, because he could, and he was a cold-hearted bastard.

"Yes, master," he addressed the man weakly. Frankly, his calm composure was right now very frightening to him.

"Do you recall my visit with the Archivist this past fortnight?" Cross asked.

"I was not present," Allen said.

"I wish to relate to you what he told me. As you may have heard, he, too, has chosen a successor. I paid him a visit, you know, as it is my duty to approve of his selection. The old man handed over the boy, and when I held that child I knew there was an oddity about him. The Clan, as I'm sure you know Allen, share blood with an ancient race, long before our time. These people would hunt demons, then drink from their blood to gain immunity to their many dark powers. Over hundreds of millennia, it simply became a part of them. Of course, nowadays they come with some kind of defect, a common trait amongst them. This boy was born blind," Cross began to watch Allen fiercely, calculating his every move. Allen didn't like this. Nea was also silent, and it wasn't the sort of quiet in which he was lost in his own thoughts, but holding his own breath. Allen had to stop himself from holding his own.

"That is," Cross finally continued, as if he'd made no notice of his intense staring, "Until the boy was attacked."

"By what?" Allen dared to ask.

"A demon. The Clan is immune to such attacks, so it was unsuccessful, but the result was that the boy could see, albeit with only one eye. The other remained blind, and developed a star-shaped cataract. The Clan absorbs demonic power like air to a fire, and the result was a partially corrected defection. The Archivist claims that he was not born with it, and I'm inclined to believe him for one reason- "

/ _It is time to go._ /

_Go where? He's got me cornered-_

Nea tapped his vision. A shadow was slinking about the room, lingering between him and Cross as if indecisive about which one it wanted to make an entrée out of. It clearly did not favour Allen, as it closed in on the Master. The boy was petrified. Cross couldn't see it- it was one of Nea's special abilities- he could detect other manifestations of Millennium.

"-your eye maintains the same clouded look as the child's. The same effects. The demon has attempted to inhabit you, Allen, and I suspect it succeeded." He knew it, he damn well knew it. Cross was muttering an incantation, and Allen knew what it was for. He was trying to perform an exorcism. Golden, spectral chains erupted from under his sleeves and pinned Allen to an adjacent wall, sending a few bottles of old whiskey to war with the hardwood floor. They didn't win. The shadow seemed to smile in the moment before melting into the carpet.

Or, at least, he thought it did.

The kitten emerged into the room, and were it not for its now gleaming red eyes, he would think it just strolled inside wondering what all the fuss was for. It hissed at Cross, and before he could so much as utter another word, there stood a panther-sized feline in his path, making angry swipes at his neck. The chains released him, but Allen paused. He didn't know now if he ought to help rid of the cat, since it was clearly inhabited by the Incarnate, or make a run for it. Nea was vouching for the latter.

/ _I cannot ensure your survival should you choose to remain here longer._ /

Tim was pecking at the kitty's head ineffectually, and with an irritated growl and quick snap of the jaws, the poor crow was toast. He felt sorry for the animal. It had only tried to protect its master, but in doing so ended up losing its own life without any effort on the cat's part. He wanted to feel a little sorry for his cat, too, since it seemed the animal had so little self-awareness present in its tiny brain that the Incarnate was in full control.

He was left with little choice but to run. He edged along the wall while Cross was distracted by the giant cat. He'd only made it outside the door when there came a pained scream from behind him, and Allen knew it didn't belong to the cat. The fighting sounds began to fade ever so lightly into the background as he moved further along the hall. The closer he came to the exit, the safer he felt, but there still loomed a feeling of dread, as if escaping would not release him from the wrath Cross had promised. If spirits could squirm in discomfort, Nea was definitely doing that now.

/ _She has found me._ / Nea said, and Allen suddenly knew where the dread was originating. Clearly Nea was not thrilled to see another of his kind join them. The feeling suddenly became so overwhelming Allen had to stop running. It was like an invisible rope had been tied around his waist and was holding him back.

/ _More approach. Be on your guard._ / It was times like these that Allen was unsure if Nea was helping him or not. He warned him of dangers, certainly, but offered nothing by way of solutions. Allen himself was almost always the one finding ways out of a bind, or even hiding Nea's presence within his aura. At this time, however, Allen was more interested in knowing just how they had attracted these things.

/ _The Ark is being activated. Allen, you must make haste. I cannot ignore -_ /

_Tell me what is happening, first, Nea! I will go no further until you do!_

Nea didn't respond. Allen wished he could hear his thoughts the same way Nea heard his, but things didn't work that way. Nea had already taught him so much, though, and he just couldn't fathom the idea that he would be keeping secrets from him. But it seemed Nea was reluctant to speak now.

/ _The Incarnates can never be whole again until Millennium returns to this plane. They ALL seek to summon him, all save for myself. I am the shepherd, however. My duty is to bring together the Incarnates, so that they may activate his Ark, and that I would cast it off to retrieve our Father. But things have not fallen in place this way. My refusal to cooperate has forced their hands, and they assembled together without my knowledge. If I do not cast off the Ark as my duty dictates, there will be harsh consequences._ / Nea finished, vaguely. It was starting to sound like there was no way out of this mess. The Ark he spoke of had to be a very specific vessel if it was used to pull a demon out of nowhere.

/ _It is not nowhere. He is somewhere._ / Nea corrected him. / _And the Ark is used to displace matter- be it through time or space. The place he is in requires travel through both to escape. His prison lies not in this plane, nor in this time._ / His words left Allen perplexed, but he didn't have enough time to ponder them. The cat had snuck up from behind, and Allen spun on his heel in time to block its teeth from sinking into his throat, catching the feline's jaws on his raised arm instead. The animal bit down, hard, and Allen despaired that his bones were easily part of her chew toy. The cat did not waste time in pressing her full weight against him. Unfortunately, this jumbo cat was easily twice his size now, and Allen was pinned to the floor against his will. He spoke a quick incantation, and the cat became light as a balloon, literally- it began to rise toward the ceiling, and with a surprised and muffled yowl it crunched harder onto his arm, using it to anchor herself.

/ _Use my power, Allen-_ / As Nea finished speaking, he felt a rush of cold water fill his lungs and he gasped for air. It felt like it was dissolving in his chest and spreading around his body, and as it did so, a chill came over him. It wasn't the sort of chill he would feel standing naked in the snow, but it resembled the jittery nerves one would get after absorbing too much caffeine. It was like Nea hit him with a Triple Nonfat Double Dark Magic Latte. The magic was so foreign to him, in fact, that it acted entirely on its own. It enveloped the cat briefly before it shrank back into a kitten again, although its fur was now positively bedraggled from the fighting. It looked mangy and the cuts on its sweet little face made Allen simply want to hold and snuggle the thing, but he knew it was beyond kitten play now. The cat rose to the ceiling with Allen's previous jinx, and it stayed there, bouncing off what was now a floor, and hissing at the illogical gravity it now faced.

_Don't they have the same power? Why is it she hasn't thrown a curse at me?_

/ _The host must be able to wield magic. It is unlikely the others will find the right vessel in which to cast their own, save for the formation of the Ark._ /

He wasn't certain what to make of that revelation. Did Nea choose him simply for his natural gifts? He wanted to think before now that he was just "compatible" as far as his shape and stature, physically. Things made a little more sense if one considered that the shepherd to these forces ought to have an edge over the rest. On the other hand, he remembered how Cross was totally ignored by the other, in favour of a cat, of all things. If it truly sought to destroy them, wouldn't it have taken Cross? It would easily have been able to kill them both if it had taken that route.

/ _She did not want us dead._ / Nea interjected, again, vaguely. Allen grew weary of his nebulous choice of words. / _Without their shepherd, the Incarnates are doomed to roam an eternity as mere specters. Their very existence would be in question. They can activate the Ark between themselves, but if it remains for too long without being casted, it will absorb itself, and create a void in time and space. Eventually, the entire world as you know it could be drawn inside, and simply cease to exist._ /

Oh.

The enormity of Nea's task finally hit him, and he now felt the rather crucial urge to complete it. His choice was to either allow the Ark to transform into what could only be described as a black hole, or summon Millennium, preceding untold consequences of its own. The other Incarnates left Nea with an impossible decision to make. From previous conversations with the entity in his head, Allen had learned that Nea was perfectly content without Millennium, much preferring the world as it already was. He knew Millennium would doubtless seek to liquidise everything beautiful in the world, and in its place erect his own vision of humanity's fate. But, as it was, allowing Millennium to do just that was the better of the two roads.

_So… what is it we need to do?_

/ _You won't like it._ / There was an unmistakable cringe in his voice. / _You must manifest the other half of the Ark and cast it to Millennium. When he gets his hands on it, he will be drawn from wherever he is to the gate created by the other Incarnates._ /

_How do I do this?_

/ _There is a blood price, Allen. It cannot be avoided._ /

A blood-curdling scream tore across the hall, drawing Allen from his thoughts. He raced across the threshold, fearing what he might find in the Master's Chambers where the sound originated. He threw open the door and nearly retched at the sight. The Mistress Lee was standing over what was once her husband, his remains scattered about the room as if he'd suddenly exploded. Her eyes were clouded over, like a zombie, but her facial expression seemed to hint that she was fighting for control of herself. She held her small daughter in one arm, a knife in the other.

 _/She intends to harm the child./_ Nea informed him urgently.

Allen didn't need to be told twice. He hit her with a curse, binding her face to the wall. She dropped the knife, and the baby, but Allen was quick and managed to catch the girl. He held her as she wailed loudly into his ear. It was no use trying to placate her. The woman bound to the wall chuckled almost manically.

"You're too late," she spat, "Millennium comes." Her voice had a duotone to it, which Nea remarked was a telltale sign that an Incarnate held the reins. Then she, too, burst into a bloody corpse. Allen did retch this time, and it was difficult to keep the infant secure as his muscles shivered uncontrollably. He didn't have to hold her for long, however, because the moment he finished hurling, the girl literally flew out of his arms.

"To think I was intending to pass on my title to you one day…" Cross growled behind him. Allen didn't even turn around. He knew what he was thinking. The scene before him spelled it all out. There was no point in trying to convince Cross that it wasn't him that had killed the girl's parents. It wouldn't do to set aside Cross's rage, either, because he was now fully convinced that his apprentice was about to summon Millennium. And he was right about that.

_/Allen, quickly, take the Ark-/_

In a moment, Cross fired off a series of spells, one binding Allen's ankles together, effectively allowing gravity to do the job of dropping him into the portal Cross opened below him, and another binding his lips together in such a way it would be impossible to utter a game changing spell. It seemed like the longest second of his life as the force of his third curse hit him full force and sent him reeling backward.

His eyes focused below him, and he could see on to the other side of the portal- an island occupied by none other than Millennium, banished there eons ago by Mana himself. To him it would just have been a few days, perhaps even just a few hours ago that he was locked in battle with the legendary magistrate. Who knows how long it would take Allen to finish falling on his ass once he crossed that threshold. Nea would go with him, and without the shepherd on the other side, they would be trapped inside the Timeless Isles for the rest of eternity. For a moment, Allen considered the possibility that Cross had already figured this out, and by sending him into the same damnable prison as the demon, it would solve the problem entirely. And it would, if it weren't for the Ark.

There was no avoiding the inevitable, however, as Allen slipped into the portal. The green of the Island rushed up to meet him as he turned in midair, and in this moment he shared a particularly bewildered glance with the demon next to him. It seemed stunned by his sudden appearance, but his eyes quickly darted to the small, black artifact clutched in his hands. It shuddered in his grip, and just as suddenly as he appeared, he began to feel his being wink out of existence.

_/Drop it! Drop the Ark!/_

Just as quickly, the island disappeared again, and he found himself in an old study. Dust scattered under the impact of his landing, settling in the collected dreck of centuries. He sneezed.

_Nea, what just happened?_

There was no answer. Allen became worried.  _Nea?_ Nothing.

"Nea?" he called aloud. There was a mirror standing before him, covered by an old sheet that might have once been white, seemingly untouched for decades. Allen stood, carefully lifting it. It was surprisingly clean, almost like he was looking through a window. Usually, he could see Nea in his reflection, but it was only himself looking back, and he grimaced. He could still feel Nea's power… but Nea wasn't there anymore.

He suddenly felt more alone than ever.

Even though he had his master, he'd never felt truly free to talk to anyone until Nea came along. Cross never was the fatherly type he was supposed to be- he was more like the evil stepmother. He was supposed to be a trainer, a teacher. Instead, the only learning he could ever accomplish was a result of the nights spent poring over massive tomes in Cross's library. There was little room to practice outside of cooking the Grand Magister's dinner, or doing the man's laundry.

Nea wanted to explore the world around him, leaving the safety of Westcliff's high walls to discover the vast expanse of nature beyond it. As Allen taught Nea about his world, Nea taught him things Cross would never dream of mastering. He told him about the other Incarnates, about their different mantles, and how all of them desired the return of Millennium. Nea told him what that meant for Westcliff, for the world. Nea never meant any harm. And now he was gone. It was like a darkness came over his mind.

His eyes searched for an exit, and he identified the door to his right. It was locked- in fact, as he attempted to jostle the lock free, the handle popped clean out of its socket. A light shone through it, illuminating the stray dust particles constantly on the move. There was something familiar about the view beyond the door. It wasn't old and dusty like the room he occupied. As a matter of fact, it was the same corridor his kitten was glued to the ceiling of.

He turned against the door, finally observing the room for what it was. It was the master's chambers, hidden away from prying eyes, never again ventured into after the deaths of the Masters Lee. Perhaps their decedents now occupied a different wing, this very room long forgotten about and never spoken of since. For how long, he was unsure, but he knew for certain he'd spent enough time on the Isles to lose at least a decade in the real world. He vaguely wondered how it was he got back. Was it Nea's doing?

He crossed the room, spreading the drapes until the sand-like buildup parted, and he then drew them open, flooding the room in the afternoon light. The old flower garden was still there, now overrun with wild flowers, like a miniature jungle. The window slid open with a little added force, enough space for him to slip outside. He removed his boots, feeling the earth greet him as he stepped barefooted into the garden. There were veronicas and sage, astilbe and yarrow, dead crow and peonies…

He paused in mid-thought.

Allen channeled his reach into the earth, feeling the perished bird's presence and willing it to rise. It did so, in a burst of dandelion seeds, dirt spilling out of its awful cracked beak. There was a faint glow originating from inside of it. Strangely, he felt a sort of fondness for the creature, like one would feel for a street rescued beast. It flapped its wings experimentally, and the smell wafted unpleasantly to his nostrils, but he ignored it. Tim was always a good bird in life, and it was unfortunate that Allen's cat introduced it to his end too soon. It cawed weakly and hopped closer to him, and Allen knelt to pick him up. It would take a little bit of practice to get him airborne again, but he was sure it was possible. He would give Tim the freedom he deserved- to fly outside the confines of a crowded little study, into the wild blue yonder Nea loved so much. Without Nea, it wouldn't have been possible. Without Nea, Allen would still be a shut-in student, apprentice of the Grand Magister for an untold number of years. He owed so much to Nea, so much he could never repay.

"Caw," said Tim. Allen knit his brows.

"We've only just been reacquainted and you're already trying to give me life advice?" He inquired. The crow watched him quietly, and then began to preen his matted feathers. Allen's expression softened. "Well, I suppose you're right."

"Caw," he replied, knowingly. Allen smiled, determination setting in.

"Let's bring him home, then, shall we?"


	5. Demons

" _A woman must have a_ _…_ _th_.. thor-"

"Thorough," Lavi coaxed. Lenalee pressed on, her finger following the print as she read the words aloud. Her progress had been slow, but Lavi was a patient tutor. There was so much to catch up on after her accident, and the factions were as persistent as ever to test her. Lenalee, however, was not in any hurry, because learning to read was an excuse to spend more time with him.

" _Thorough knowledge of music, singing, dr_ _…_ _awing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word_ \- What word?"

"They mean to define an accomplished woman," Lavi clarified, "Funny, isn't it?"

"How is that funny?"

Lavi chuckled boyishly. "Is that not why you're here? You're a noble, Miss Lee. It's what's expected of you. Funny it should be stated so directly here."

The House had been truly merciless, that much was true. She'd hardly been allowed time to recover before her presence was demanded in the socialite world. Cross seemed to be the only one vouching for her privacy and wellbeing, but his authority only resonated so far among the elites. She'd become somewhat of a celebrity once word had finally spread of her recovery. The Lord Lee was terrified to miss the opportunity presented by the province's sudden interest in her. He demanded she be tutored by the very best in order to impress the factions.

Lenalee couldn't let her brother down. Their house had been made a farce. Lee was once a prestigious name among them, but after the mysterious deaths of Lenalee's parents, the Magister had gone mad, and his apprentice went missing without a trace. Cross would never speak of the matter again. Lenalee, of course, was only an infant when it occurred, and became the coveted flower blooming in the darkness in its wake. Komui managed to arrange a joining which would keep the House of Lee in good standing, but it was not meant to be.

Lenalee wouldn't- couldn't- forgive herself if she shattered their legacy a second time. She was honest in her endeavour to succeed. In fact, she excelled. She was centre stage and could not afford to be anything less than the image of the upper class. Their perfect little flower.

"An  _accomplished_   _woman_? Why not a trained circus animal?" She wondered aloud. Lavi tittered pleasantly again at her thoughts. She loved that sound. It seemed his laughter was among the only thing keeping her from simply floating away with the flotsam of her haunting past.

"Wouldn't that be a sight? A beast dancing proper-like, reading classic literature, and hosting afternoon tea," Lavi mused. Lenalee couldn't help but smile. "I wonder what sort of beast it might be? Certainly not a cat."

"How do you figure?"

"Have you never attempted to tame a cat? You're a lucky one if you can manage its attention. Any cat worth its whiskers would sooner tame  _you_."

"We're straying from the point," Lenalee said, but she couldn't stop the amused smile pulling at her lips. She cleared her voice and proceeded with her reading.  _"…_ _and besides all this, she must pos_ _…_ _sess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and e-expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved_."

"I rather like this version of 'the  _accomplished woman_ '," Lavi declared.

"Do you?" Lenalee inquired. Lavi seemed pleased to enlighten her.

"Have you ever listened to yourself speak?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well, I say you hardly sound like a circus animal and yet your tone commands attention. You commute to and from your tutors with diligence and confidence, even with the entirety of the western factions' attention trained on your every move," Lavi kept score with his fingers outstretched before him, "Under such scrutiny you maintain your posture, undaunted by circumstance. Among peers you are respected, showing no weakness in the face of hungry sharks."

Contrary to Lavi's analysis of her qualities, she didn't feel it was accurate. It was true she wanted to appear as if she were in total control, but the praise was severely undeserved. She was a clown among her peers. She saw her tutors out of necessity. The watchful eyes hounding her progress only demanded goals just out of her reach. Lavi could not fully understand the awful game the nobles played. She would never truly be what they wanted her to be. A circus animal is what she felt like; she would dance when they wanted her to dance, but the moment she drops the ball, it would all be over. The house of Lee would be no more.

"Perhaps then I can aspire to be as accomplished as these women, then," Lenalee said, bitterly. Lavi was relentless.

"I think you are already there."

"I've got a long way to go," she forced a laugh.

"According to whom?" he pressed. Lenalee became impatient. She didn't want Lavi to know the truth of the situation. She rather enjoyed his optimism. He provided a much-needed reprieve from the drudgery of what was considered high-life. While Komui saw her disappear into Westcliff's archives to study literature, she could find room to breathe among the dusty old tomes. Lavi's carefree atmosphere was too inviting, too easy to be herself in. A rare pleasure in a life that was not her own. A life that would never be her own.

"I'm sorry… Lavi… I just remembered. I-I must be going. Riding lessons," she struggled to control her tone. She hated lying to him. He didn't deserve that. Furthermore, lying was uncouth, as was the haste she took in gathering her parasol. She couldn't bear her failing attempts to be modest any longer. Lavi hardly moved from his spot next to the writing desk. If he sensed her dishonesty, he was far better at saving face than she was. He would play the game well, if he were a noble. He would never know what a fortune that was.

The man allowed a smile. "Same time tomorrow, I hope?"

"Yes. Of course."

She did not meet Lavi the following day, nor the day after that. Lenalee wasn't certain if it was fear, embarrassment, or something else entirely that kept her from her lessons. From Lavi. Every time she resolved to remove herself from this reluctance to continue, she dodged his lessons with more excuses.

It wasn't until a fortnight later she finally encountered him again. She hadn't planned on the meeting, but of course, she wasn't daft. Lavi wasn't, either, and she knew that eventually he would conclude that she was avoiding him. She just did not expect to find him waiting for her in the garden. He was perched upon a stone pony wall, reclining back on his palms.

"L-Lavi? What are you doing away from the archives?" she stammered, avoiding eye contact.

"Contrary to popular belief, I am not a ghost haunting the deepest recesses of the library, and can, therefore, venture from its confines." Lenalee scolded herself inwardly for the unprepared defence. She was spared the task of making more excuses as Lavi continued, "Have we concluded our lessons, then?"

"I- no… I mean, yes, but not-!" Lenalee was grasping at straws for an answer. She stood rigidly under a white-painted arch, tomato vines twisting over her head and glistening like a halo in the morning dew. It painted a girl finding herself tripping on her own words, almost mocking her for how easily she forgot to be a proper lady in Lavi's presence.

"My Lady I must apologise. I have had time to think over your absence. I believe you are avoiding the lessons because of the… commentary I have made. I cannot express how wrong that was. It was improper, and I hope that with the promise of staying my tongue you might be interested in resuming where we left off. I am only motivated by seeing you succeed, and I won't let my idle thoughts interrupt your studies any further."

His apology threw Lenalee off guard. It was the last thing she expected. All these poor excuses and unwarranted absences and Lavi managed to somehow take the blame for it. It felt wrong- even Lavi's tone seemed forced. It wasn't him speaking at all. The only one to blame was herself, but she couldn't begin to explain her actions. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. She steeled herself, a deep breath to remind herself who she was and why she must strive for perfection, despite her personal reservations.

As she released it, she saw Lavi and his mess of carrot-coloured hair, his blind-eyed squint, his lopsided grin. His hands were now tucked carefully into a fold over his chest, yet he remained relaxed all the same. She wondered what perfection really was. Was it high-society that set the bar? Or was perfection measured by one's own standards? If Lenalee was being perfectly honest with herself, she thought, she wouldn't be having any such doubts to begin with.

"Yes," she answered glumly, "That would be best."

* * *

Lenalee opened her eyes. She was surrounded by darkness, her senses very slowly coming back to life. She didn't know if it was night or day, but the aches in her muscles told her she may have been here for a long time. Around her, there was a dampness permeating the air, the echo of a distant movement of water sounding in a tunnel. The girl lifted her head, recoiling in the sticky substance under her hands as she pushed herself to her feet. It was proving difficult to recall where she was. It was a cave, that bit was certain, and she could see a dim light far into the tunnel before her. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned, finding the way behind her collapsed. The only way now was forward.

The bird dropped her here. Was it a nest? She prayed it wasn't. The path before her didn't seem to resemble a nest at all. In fact, it was beginning to look more and more like a man-made structure. The light was coming closer, and she sensed warmth along with it. It flickered, rippling at her long shadow. She stepped over some damp and jungly roots that had taken to the floors and walls. A fire ahead. A lone shadow appeared on the wall before her as the tunnel rounded. Somebody was here. She pressed her body against the cold stone and peered around the corner at him.

The man was tall and dark-haired, dressed in a formal regalia, a white, collared shirt underneath a proper black coat. High cheekbones and a long face gave him a gauntness that was almost entirely contrived. His square jaw and stubborn chin were exaggerated, but that effect was lost when his head tilted down to see his smaller guest. In short, the lighting seemed to have had been calculated to give him a more intimidating presence than he could have maintained in broad daylight, particularly with his unimpressive musculature. He swirled a glass of blood red wine in his pearl gloved hands, watching the flickering of the hearth before him.

"Come, sit," the man's velvety words beckoned her as he motioned to a plush velvet seat behind him. Lenalee flinched as the man's head turned to face her. Bright, yellow eyes breached his olive skin, sending the hair on the back of her neck standing. The man frowned. "I saved your life, lass, don't keep me waiting."

"Who are you, and why am I here? What do you want?" Lenalee spat at him quickly, unconcerned with hiding herself any further. His thin, expressive brow creased as his frown deepened.

"Now you're just being rude."

Lenalee tentatively stepped forward, and the man patiently waited for her. She moved closer to the seat he'd invited her to, and stopped, her fingers clenching tightly into her palms. "Who are you?" She repeated. The man beckoned for her to sit, and, hesitantly, she did so. He smiled and bowed his head in her direction. Lenalee remained quite still, tense, as he poured her a glass of the wine and set it on a table next to her.

"Ser Tyki, madame," he conceded, an odd glint in his eye. "And you are the Baroness Lee, yes?" Lenalee did not answer him. The olive-skinned man tsked at her and offered her a glass of his wine. Lenalee took it, but did not drink, as her eyes remained fixated on the stranger. She did not regard him coldly, rather, curiously, as the circumstances called for such scrutiny. Here was a man dressed like a high-class dandy, but living in a cave beyond the Reach. It was not normal by any standards.

"If I wanted you dead, I'd have done so already, my dear. Now drink. It isn't poison," Tyki scolded her, as if reading her mind. Lenalee sipped at it, feeling like a child. Tyki smiled, finally pleased. "Right, then, I suppose you want to understand why you're here? Let's skip the shite; you have something I want." Lenalee felt herself gobsmacked.

"You had me captured by a dragon, flown past the Devil's Wood, into the Spires, and then taxied around by your giant birds- for what? Money?" Tyki's eyes rolled so far back into his head he might have caught a glimpse of his frontal lobe in the process.

"No, no, foolish girl… heavens… where's the brandy?" Tyki's disapproving tone dissolved into a mutter as he searched his liquor cabinet. He seemed to have found what he was looking for, pouring a tumbler with a large ball of ice to the brim with his drink, then downing it with much the opposite manner as he had approached the red wine. He procured a small white napkin from his sleeve and dabbed at his lips. "Tell me lass, what did she ask for?"

"I beg your pardon?" Lenalee regarded him, puzzled. Who was he talking about?

" _What_  did she ask for in return for her services?" Tyki repeated, his tone suggesting he believed she knew perfectly well what he was asking.

"I'm sorry, Ser Tyki. I can't say I know what you-!" Suddenly, Tyki was upon her, his hands grasping at the fringe of her dress. Lenalee screamed and kicked at him, but Tyki was quick- too quick- and tore the fabric away with a clean motion. He grabbed at one of her boots with surprising strength, cutting through the laces holding them together using an invisible blade. He pulled, and her boot came off with little resistance before she had the mind to retaliate. Tyki stepped away, glowing eyes pointed accusingly at her bare foot, where a dark pattern had taken refuge from the bottom of her heel, winding around her ankles and ending in a cross.

"Don't pretend like you don't know," Tyki hissed. Lenalee could only shake. "That's her scar. Road! Come out and play!" His voice took on a new sound. It was light and almost playful, but the danger was ever present in the almost maddening glee behind it. She was frozen as Tyki bore down on her again, this time taking her by her wrist forcefully and lifting her to her feet. She tried to scream; suddenly, her body was not her own.

"Tyki, how dare you?" she said, but the words were not her own. They emerged from her, and while she felt every vibration in her throat, she could not predict what would come next, nor stop it. Lenalee felt fear as Tyki smiled at her, warmly, like a brother would. His grip was still firm, but allowed for movement, and the two of them fell into a slow and lazy dance. The furniture, to her surprise, moved against the walls of the cavern of their own accord. In fact, much of Tyki's belongings seemed to have a will of its own. Even the tumbler of brandy, which had once been quite full, relocated itself back onto its shelf, clean, with no help from Tyki. Whatever he was, he was no mundane. Lenalee suddenly wished Cross was here.

"What have you been doing, all this time?" Tyki questioned, and it was unclear whether or not these two were friends. He spoke fondly to her, but with a steel behind his words which suggested that the wrong answer would not do either of them well.

 _Road? Is that your name?! What's happening?!_  Road ignored her and followed Tyki's movements.

"Staying out of trouble, dear brother," she said carefully, with much the same tone Tyki employed. Loving. Dangerous.

"Have you heard the news?" Tyki prompted.

"Of our brother? Nea?"

"Yes."

"Has he cast it?"

"He has," Tyki almost purred, unsettling Lenalee. "And it won't be long now. There is, however, a small hiccup."

"And what is that, brother?"

"He's dead."

Lenalee did not know who this Nea was, but it seemed Road did. She paused nervously, thinking. Lenalee wished she could hear Road's thoughts; it wasn't fair that Road could listen to hers.

"Tell me sister, what were the circumstances of your claim?" Tyki changed the subject abruptly, and Lenalee knew what he was on about this time. Her scar. She knew about it, yes, that it had manifested somehow upon Road's arrival. But she never thought it meant much more than a representation of her presence. She had read about spirits before. They didn't often inhabit bodies, but when they did, they were never harmful except to one's own sanity. Road never imposed on her any thoughts that were not her own before, and she trusted her. She was beginning to doubt that trust. Road, however, fidgeted nervously.

"Information," she answered, drawing back as if expecting Tyki to retaliate. He seemed to consider her words as they spun over the hearth rug.

 _Explain this at once!_ Lenalee demanded again, merely a voice in the back of her own head. It was now perfectly clear that something foul was at play here, and Lenalee was determined to find out what it was. Mostly, though, she was tired of being played, sick of being used. She felt like the oblivious steer considered by a pack of wolves deciding if they should chase it first for amusement before the kill. She tolerated the games of the nobles already; she knew the game they played, tip-toeing carefully around the subject, knowing they won't tread on any understanding from their prey.

"A practitioner would have been far more useful to you, sister," Tyki said, after much consideration, "Far more valuable, in more ways than one." Lenalee felt a fear growing deep in her gut that wasn't her own. It felt as if Road was attempting to shrink back into the recesses of her mind, trying to hide from something. From Tyki? His grip tightened, into what she was now certain would leave a mark on her skin later. A cruel smile played at the man's lips, and now, Lenalee was scared, too. "I'm sorry dear sister. You know what must be done."

In an instant, Lenalee felt the air leave her, and she fell to the floor as every nerve in her body shut down. Pins and needles bit at her skin, her blood desperately trying to circulate in every direction, uncertain where to begin. She felt she had control over her body again, but 'control' was not a very accurate word when her muscles were all shut down, it seemed. Tyki crouched over her, his uncaring smile gone, now wearing a look of genuine concern.

"I'm sorry about that, love," he apologised. She couldn't fight back as he lifted her from the floor and carried her to the small couch, laying her gently across it. It was, she hated to admit, quite comfortable. "I hope I did not shock you too much. That was not something I took joy in doing."

"What… did you do?" she finally managed. Her brows knit in anger, despite her gratitude that she could finally speak again. "What is this all about?! What did you do to her?"

"I understand you're confused, and it would be boorish not to explain myself. You are safe, for now, my flower." Lenalee scowled at the name. Flower?  _His_  flower?

"Explain," she growled. Tyki smiled grimly, as if attempting poorly to portray that he actually felt remorse for whatever it was he just did.

"Tell me girl, of your circumstances when Road approached you?" said Tyki, forming his question in a way that told Lenalee he already knew the answer.

"I was… sick," she said curtly. Tyki nodded.

"And Road entered your mind and took residence during this time, no?" He continued. Lenalee nodded slowly. "You accepted information from her. She taught you things, things you shouldn't know? Spells, perhaps? You may not realise it, but when you accept information from a demon, you are accepting a contract. Nothing is free, lass."

"A demon!" Lenalee started. Tyki smiled darkly.

"Yes, a demon. What did you think she was?" Lenalee didn't have an answer for that. Why couldn't she sort that out before? All of the evidence was there, right in front of her, for years. She felt utterly foolish.

"Oh, but don't fret, now, that danger has gone!" Tyki clapped his hands together, the sound muffled by his thin white gloves. "You won't have to worry about fulfilling her contract. We should be celebrating!"

There was an odd glint in his eye that made her nervous. Surely he didn't bring her here  _just_  to speak to Road. Surely he wouldn't sever their link and then send her on her merry way. No, there was a catch. Always was. Like he said- nothing is free.

"Did you destroy her?" Lenalee quizzed, dodging the one question she really wanted to ask.

"Oh, no, I cannot destroy her," he answered cryptically, "I've merely… shall I say… overwritten her contract. Lenalee flinched when he brought his hand gently up underneath her chin, lifting it and forcing her to look him in the eyes. It was then she noticed that those bright golden orbs didn't resemble a human's at all; rather, his irises were thick and horizontal and were closer to a goat's than anything. Demon eyes.

"You see, when a demon forms a contract with a human, if no terms are reached, the demon scar represents only one favour in return for their services. You would have had to obey one order by Road- and heaven knows what it would have been- or she would take your body as payment instead. Wouldn't want that now, would you?"

According to Tyki, the demon, Road, was a ticking time bomb. At any time, she could have demanded a task, no matter how impossible, and Lenalee would be forced to perform it, or lose her body- her soul, even- if she defaulted. The thought frightened her. That Tyki not only somehow overpowered Road easily, but acquired that contract under his name was enough to make a grizzly bear drop a stone or two.

"Luckily for you, I state my contracts rather plainly. I will give you the benefit of knowing exactly what I ask for," Tyki amended, seeming to relish quietly in Lenalee's distress. "And I merely request that you bring me the head of that dragon."

Lenalee frowned. He was the one with the witchcraft at his disposal- why did he need  _her_  to do it? He didn't seem like the type to keep trophies.

"Why is this dragon important to you?" It wasn't that she was especially fond of the dragon, nor was she attempting to defend it. The dragon was a menace for bringing her here, and she had already decided that should she ever make it out of this mess alive, she would have to find a way to either kill it or drive it away, as it was a threat to Westreach.

"Don't ask questions, lass," Tyki replied, a gentle threat underscoring his tone. He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a small, obsidian dirk, passing it to Lenalee. She took it, holding the hilt gingerly as if it were a snake. "You must use this."

The blade had a shiny black surface which seemed to ripple like smooth water when she moved it. The hilt was wrapped in a fine tanned leather. Something about it seemed ancient, and she feared it might fall apart if she were to attempt to slice anything tougher than a kiwi. She was becoming lost in the mesmerising reflection of the blade when Tyki brought her back again.

"Do me a favour, and don't cut your finger with it, alright?"

* * *

There were no evergreens or pine in the Devil's Wood. One wouldn't truly understand the smell of death among the gnarled roots unless they walked within it, and nobody in their proper headspace would  _accidentally_ wander here on their own. Kanda carried with him his rifle, and a tomahawk hung from his belt as a precaution. Cross carried with him two pistols, but they were both holstered, as he was armed with his magic, unlike Kanda. Even so, Cross knew that they might be outmatched if they ran into the wrong company.

The only noises to be heard were crunch of dead needles underfoot, and the skittering of a kicked pinecone. No signs of life here. Kanda walked to his left, his breath steaming the air. It was a bracing winter morning- or near enough. It was hard to determine the season here. The ground was always grey, the trees always leafless, the air always chilling.

"How are we going to find him?" Kanda asked. Cross was growing weary of answering all of his questions. Kanda was not a magister- he couldn't use magic, so Cross couldn't think of any reason he ought to know anything about it. The finer details were things Kanda would never understand. And he wanted an explanation?

"We'll scout his path in the magical spectrum," he said, noncommittally, "When we find where the trail ends, that's where he emerged. From there I can either tether it or sort out a way to follow it to him."

"… right," Kanda responded slowly. Cross puffed in mild amusement. He expected it. There were ways for a magister to travel using magic, and while very efficient, they  _always_  left a trail. He suspected Allen had been using the ley lines, counting on the stigma of the area to keep away anyone who might follow him. He'd been sloppy. Either that, or, Allen knew Cross would eventually come looking for him. Frankly, the Magister didn't know which it was, but chose to err on the side of caution nonetheless. "As for Lavi, I suspect once we find my apprentice…  _former_  apprentice, we'll either find Lavi with him, or we'll know where to look. And by finding Lavi, we will surely find Lenalee."

They continued on in silence for a time. The pair left their horses behind before the trail which descended from Brighton. They were too afraid to enter the Woods, so Cross and Kanda were forced to continue on foot. It was perhaps for the best, as horses proved to be too noisy when the goal was not to attract any attention to themselves. Kanda was quiet- unusually so. He had many questions when they entered, but now that they were deep into the woods, he'd fallen quite silent. Cross, to pass the time, began to whistle a cheery tune.

"Something's wrong," Cross remarked, stopping in his tracks. Kanda immediately paused as well, raising his rifle. The magister cracked a small smile. "You haven't told me to shut up yet." Kanda looked irritated as a lowered his weapon.

"Shut. Up," Kanda mocked. Cross carried on with their trek, and Kanda fell in behind him, serious as ever.

"So, haven't you even wondered what that mark is?" Cross started, casually. The forest around them, while ultimately creepy, was stale as a wedding with no booze.

"No," Kanda responded. It seemed he wasn't in the mood for small talk. A shame, Cross decided. He rummaged into his pocket and withdrew his pipe, lifted it to his lips, and took a long drag after lighting it with a snap of his fingers. "You're going to give us away," Kanda growled at him. Cross laughed, smoke billowing from his nostrils.

"Good, it'll save us some time if he comes to us," Cross snorted.

"Not what I meant," Kanda retorted.

"That's a demon scar," Cross redirected. Kanda eyed him, seeming to have forgotten already about his previous grump. That got his attention. "When you make a deal with a demon, they give you a demon scar. It means you owe them something."

"What is it I owe? I thought he was a warlock?" Kanda balked. Cross could hear in his voice the strain to keep his cool, but he knew Kanda was frightened now. Even mundanes knew that demons were bad business.

"I haven't the foggiest," Cross confessed, "But, if he didn't tell you directly, then he hasn't decided yet. And if anything were to happen to either of you while you bear that mark? Well, let's just say, the favour still needs to be paid." Kanda fell into a deathly silence as the information sunk in. Cross chuckled darkly. "You've stewed your balls in the queen's own cup of tea. Was it worth it?" He added.

Cross took another drag and they walked on. If Kanda was mute before, he may as well have been a ghost now. Good, Cross thought, he was at least weighing in on his actions. It was good to bring him here. To his credit, Kanda may not have been a magic user, but he knew how to fight. If they were to run into Allen, he would know to restrain himself. At least until they could negotiate the removal of his demon scar. The truth was, Cross didn't give one juicy shit what happened to Kanda, but he knew that if they simply killed Allen, he would have to kill Kanda, too. That was a whole new bag of bollocks he didn't want to open.

Cross felt the air shift. A pile of dead leaves rustled lightly ahead of them. Cross threw out his arm to barricade Kanda, who bumped into it and stopped. Their eyes trained on the sky ahead, they didn't see the beast land and shift behind them- until he started clapping. They whirled on the spot. Kanda drew his rifle again, but Cross reached for the barrel and pointed it toward the dirt. Cross watched him in the magical spectrum, tracing his arcane signature. His aura was black, flecked with gold, as if it were suffocating under the darkness. He remembered when it was all a healthy, golden glow. What had happened to him?

"I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting you both to venture so deep into the big spooky forest," Allen jeered, "But, whatever it is you're here for, I'm afraid you're too late."

"Halt the shit, Allen. Where's Lenalee?"

"Lenalee?" Allen questioned. Kanda snarled at his comment, and Cross shot him a warning look. He was furious. That anger was going to boil over soon. He needed to end this- quickly. A look of unnatural understanding crossed Allen's face. "Oh! The girl! Yes. I don't know where she is."

"Bullshit! Where is she?!" Kanda roared.

"Temper, Yu—"

"You  _do not_ call me that," Kanda cut him off, and Cross feared he might actually spring an attack. Allen remained still and unworried. His attention turned to Cross.

"I knew you were looking for me. I thought I might save you the effort, and come to you instead. How long has it been, Master?"

"I'm not your Master, and you aren't my apprentice," Cross corrected the boy. "And I'm not interested in catching up, either."

"That's an awful shame," Allen pouted. His faked disappointment had no effect on Cross whatsoever. He felt no sympathy for the creature. He wasn't Allen; of this he was certain. If Allen was in there still, he was broken and lost forever. The darkness in him overpowered his aura so much now that Cross believed that Allen had made the complete transformation into a demon. Whatever possessed him two decades ago won that battle. Allen was gone. "Lavi's gone to the Spires. I expect you'll also find Lenalee there. Any more questions you want to throw at me?"

Cross knew they were treading dangerous waters. At any time, he could trick them into another contract, or cash in on Kanda's. Though, Cross had a niggling fear that Allen had a very specific task for Kanda on his mind, and wouldn't waste it here to rid of them. After all, they were on his turf now, and that gave Allen a significant advantage. Cross felt a sudden unease overtake him. Allen took notice, and smiled wickedly.

"Don't worry, I mean you no harm. I honestly have more pressing issues to attend to than feeding you two my secrets. Please, if you have any further questions, you may leave them with my friend." Allen's form rippled, and in a moment, he was gone. Cross grit his teeth.

"Damn it! Fuck!" he immediately began scanning the ley lines. He found the trail, and reached for it. "Hold my arm!" When Kanda didn't, Cross spun and grabbed Kanda's arm as he entered the ley line. He hadn't travelled in this way for many years, and when they arrived on the other side, he fell to his knees as the world spun in his vision. He recovered soon enough, and moved to check on Kanda. He didn't know, actually, how Kanda would fare that sort of travel as a mundane. As it turned out- not very well. The man was heaving, curled into his knees and pale. Jaw clenched tightly, Cross searched for Allen, but he was nowhere in sight. There was no ley line trail either, besides the one they just used. He swore under his breath, urging Kanda to recover. He shook him.

"Get up you useless boob," Cross said, jostling him harder yet, which Kanda was less than pleased about. They were somewhere in the Spires now, surrounded by mountains with jutting rocks fit to impale anyone unfortunate enough not to expect the drop from the other side of them. The man cracked one eye open to stare angrily at him, but it darted away from Cross's eyes to someplace behind him, and widened in alarm. Cross turned his head.

The massive, ruby-scaled dragon hovered over them, wings spread, teeth bared, and glowering down at Kanda. It unleashed a terrible screeching roar fit to beat a ban sidh, then advanced on them with blazing capability.

And all Cross could think about was how foolish he was for following Allen into such a simple trap.


	6. Mistrust

After the isles and the river receded back into nothingness, the duo was standing once again in the Spires, and Lavi was disenchanted to find that he still wasn't human, after all. Allen had somehow tricked him for the second time. He puffed a ring of smoke in displeasure, but really, what was he expecting? Allen was backwards in his ways, and with a wicked sense of humour to top it. He fixed his good eye on the nest again, worried about Lenalee. How long had she been in there?  
He felt a weight on his front claw, breaking his attention from the nest to glare down at the white-haired boy now sitting on it. He drew back in response, but Allen lounged in place, spreading his arms over the back of his scaly knuckles. The boy looked up, craning his neck, that mischievous smile once again spreading over his face. It was times like these Lavi feared what might have been crossing the boy's devious mind.

"The two of us will be unstoppable," Allen declared, a satisfied pep edging his words.

"Don't push your luck, beansprout," Lavi snorted.

"Beansprout?" Allen winced. "Look, it wasn't my plan to turn you into that beast, honest."  
"Don't act like— say again?" Lavi wavered, squinting down at the tiny boy. Allen seemed to flinch with the confrontation. The magic-user cautiously laced his fingers together, thinking.  
"It's for the best that we make good out of the circumstances," Allen hedged.  
"Then what was it you meant to do?" Lavi demanded, pulling his claw back and causing Allen to stumble forward, his dark boots kicking up a small cloud of dirt as his feet found purchase on the gravelly surface. The boy picked himself up quickly and faced him, arms outstretched defensively. Lavi could sense his nervous quiver, and he narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. Allen was decidedly not very good at hiding things, it seemed, and he was for certain concealing something important from Lavi. He'd already known he was being played, but now, he was too deeply involved to avoid whatever twisted game Allen was scheming.

"Alright, alright, calm yourself. Let me explain," the boy whined, stepping back when Lavi advanced on him. For a moment, he didn't look at all like the mischievous little warlock he stumbled into after falling from the Reach. His cerulean eyes were creased in discomfort, like a scared child. He almost felt sorry for the young practitioner. Almost.

"What I hit you with was a curse," Allen explained, slowly, as if choosing his words with care. Lavi knew that behaviour, he'd had to practice it many times in the presence of nobility. It was not a manner of improv easily acquired. "A curse that… didn't work. Not exactly." Lavi didn't have a brow to lift at the boy, and instead lifted his bulky head. "It recoiled, and how do I say…  _gave_  you one of my powers?" His raised punctuation gave Lavi pause. He made it sound like a boon, of all blasted things.  
"Start making sense, won't you?" Lavi begged, tiredly. Allen turned away and paced toward a large boulder that might have fallen from another awful nest, like the one Lavi shot down with a firebolt.

"You see, when the curse should have killed you, your body rejected it and stole my power in retaliation. You do have Clan blood, do you not?"

Lavi drew his massive head back. How did Allen know that? It wasn't a day ago the warlock admitted he didn't know a single thing about him. But now, one of his closely guarded secrets was as plain as his red hair to him. Allen seemed to notice his suspicion, and quickly held up his hands. "I told you, I was Cross's apprentice! Magisters have close ties with the Bookman Clan!" he explained.  
"Then why did you act like you didn't know who I was? You knew all along you little bastard!" Lavi hissed.

"I was nervous!" Allen cried out. Lavi had him backed against the boulder, the boy's arms splayed out behind him. "I didn't know until it happened!"

"And what changed when you did?" Lavi asked harshly, jaw clenched. He watched a lump disappear in Allen's throat, his good eye trained fiercely on the young magister. He had him. He had the little con cornered.

"I knew you could help me!" Allen shot back, sounding scared now. "You're the only one who can!"

" _You?_ " Lavi snorted, "Why would I want to help you, after all you've been putting me through?"

"You're right," Allen squeaked. Lavi barely heard it. "You're right. You owe me nothing. I don't deserve your help."

"Then why…"

"Just hear me out," Allen begged. Lavi stomped his foot indignantly.

"I already have!" he barked hotly. At Allen's pleading look, he backed up a step, then sat grumpily on his haunches. This was pathetic, he thought. The white-haired boy sighed in what he perceived was relief.

"You know the history of your ancestors, the demon hunters. They drank from the blood of their hunts, they became immune to the power of demons. You are kin." Lavi knew this much already, but he couldn't piece together what Allen thought that had to do with his problem. There was no way in the seven realms he would ever try to slay Millennium. He was an Archivist! A bookkeeper! He was  _not_  a demon slayer.

"You're not making sense again," Lavi groused. Allen stepped toward him, startling Lavi.

"The Incarnates want my head. I am powerless to stop them. But you…"

"No," Lavi cut him off, "I don't know what you think I am, but I breathe paper, ink. I chronicle the happenings of Westreach, and thanks to you, I have a  _lot_  of work to do when this all blows over. I'm a  _Book_ man, not a demon hunter.  **Book**. Man."

"I think you look like a dragon," Allen said brightly.

"Smart ass. You know what I meant," Lavi frowned. To his surprise, a smile was back on his damned lips again.

"But it's true. You're missing the point, Lavi," Allen said, and his escalating excitement was starting to worry him. "You're immune to demonic magic! You absorb it like a sponge, make it your own. It's your heritage! It's your birthright! I knew it the moment you fell from the Reach! You're the only one who can stop this. Why do you think Cross has been keeping you alive?"

Lavi stiffened as everything started coming together. His grandfather always told him to remain loyal to the Grand Magister, no matter the circumstances. He never understood why, because Cross always hated his guts, especially after his involvement in Lenalee's accident. He always questioned why he was never truly punished. Cross wasn't a very forgiving sort of man, after all. Was the reason Cross allowed him to see Lenalee really because of his dedication to her recovery? Or was it because he believed that what ailed her was demonic magic? Westreach did indeed have a history with demons. The very thought made him sick. If Allen was right, he'd been used like a watchdog all these years, a watchdog under the guise of an Archivist. Played like a fool.

Allen's hand was on his claw, and he looked down at him.

"You don't have to do this. But Millennium is coming, whether you like it or not," Allen said, his cheeriness infuriating, "Do you really trust me to stop him on my own? He will utterly annihilate me. And then, who knows what he'll do?" He was smiling. The little bastard was  _smiling_.

"How?" Lavi sighed. "I've never slain a demon."

"Oh please, look at yourself," Allen heckled, "Just imagine the powers you'll get from Millennium. I believe you can do it."

"Like you're giving me a choice?" Lavi grunted. He slumped to his belly, nonplussed. Allen once again settled fearlessly on his claws. "Like I said, we'll be an unstoppable team. With a Bookman at my side, there's no way we can lose."

"And what about Lenalee? We can't just leave her." Lavi said, looking back in the direction of the nest. His tail twitched in annoyance when Allen vanished from in front of him, reappearing with a pop on top of his bulky head.

"Hmm… Indeed," he said. Lavi couldn't see him as he stood on his blind side, but he didn't like him up there. He shook his head, but Allen seemed to defy gravity itself to remain standing. "She's important to you?"

"She's my wife- I mean… my fiancé," Lavi corrected him.

"Yes, yes, of course," Allen responded dismissively. "I will see to that."

"What?!  _You_?" Lavi growled.

"Just guard the cave like a good dragon, and I'll see her safely returned to Westcliff manor. I don't see you slithering into that mouse hole any time soon, do you?"

Lavi grumbled in reluctant agreement. He didn't know if he could trust Allen just yet, but it was the best option he had.  
"Don't hurt her," Lavi threatened. Allen winked, and then the magician was gone again.  
Lavi resettled in front of the cave, resting his head on his front claws. He pondered Allen's sincerity. What if he wasn't telling him the truth? Everything Allen said seemed to make sense, and yet…

He heard a crackle somewhere behind him, and felt the air pressure shifting to accommodate. He lifted his head, turning side to side to get a full view. Lavi saw nothing, but his ears twisted back when he heard voices in the distance. He could taste the air, and he knew there were two men, though he was unsure  _how_  he knew. He stood again, enthralled by senses he could never remember having. He followed the odd scent, picking up on new information as he went. He wondered if it was a dragon thing. Not that anyone would know; after all, dragons were hunted to extinction decades ago. Or… so everyone thought. It was utterly fascinating, really. His sight was still poor, but he found that he wasn't even using it now. He could even taste a faint trail of magic, but not knowing what kind. He followed it through an outcropping of rocks, and finally, he spotted the source of the disturbance.

Something angry triggered within him, and his body heat rose. Lord Kanda, the shameless imp, was on the ground before him. Over him stood the Grand Magister himself, but Lavi didn't care about him. The two men stiffened when they saw him, and Lavi found himself hovering over them, his wings spread wide, showing his power. He would crush Kanda. He should have done it when he had the chance before, but now, every instinct he possessed had ran dry of mercy. An enraged screech emerged from him, and he lost control as he saw nothing but red.

The Magister rose to his feet, but he was in the way, and Lavi batted him aside easily with the back of his claw as he bore down on Kanda. The man scampered back as Cross shouted something at him. Lavi couldn't hear what he'd said. They were like bugs to him, pesky insects squeaking at him. He wanted to burn them. Just as quickly as the thought came to him, his chest blazed, and he felt the flames creeping past his teeth. He could smell Kanda's fear as the man was lurched out of the way by magic, as Lavi let the fire spill from his jaws. Where Kanda was once standing, the ground was blackened and scorched, laid in waste, but there was no body. His head swung to face them, now standing together and poised to fight him. The Magister was shouting something at him, but his head was pounding in rage, and his words made no sense. It was Kanda. Kanda was the source. If he rid of that bug, the pain would go away.  
Kanda drew his sword, and rushed at Lavi. The man was quick, and Lavi became frustrated as his claws missed him every time. His fire swept around him, engulfing them in a ring of his embers that shrouded the canyon in smoke. The Magister shouted something, dousing the fire with his foul magic, drenching his scales with scalding water. Lavi howled, pissed off, and not knowing where Kanda was. His tail swept in a wide arc, smashing into the rock behind him and sending a cascade of razor sharp boulders sliding from the cliff face. There was a shout from behind him, and he whirled to face his enemy, lips pulling back into a draconic grin. Kanda was pinned under a rock, blood pooling under his injured leg. The man was trying desperately to free himself, but the rock was too heavy, and he was utterly trapped.

Someone was crying out his name, the Magister, he reckoned, but it didn't matter. Lavi slowly approached him, breathing deep his scent of fear, exhaling when he reached Kanda and blowing his dark hair from his face. Kanda didn't back down as Lavi advanced. He easily pushed the rock off of Kanda with his claw. Kanda tried to push away from him, but his leg weighed him down, and the man recoiled in pain as Lavi lifted him. A satisfying crack sounded as he tightened his grip. What to do with the bastard… he peered upwards, seeing the top of the spires. Perhaps he would drop him, drop him just as the Lord of Fort Honning had dropped him from the Reach. Kanda cried out in pain as Lavi's wings expanded and raised them off of the ground. He was unpleasantly surprised to find his wing was still sore from the monster bird's razing. He resisted, blocking out the pain as he pushed his damaged muscles to work.  
He was exhausted when they reached the edge, perching on one of the jutting spires. Kanda's head turned, his teeth clenched as he looked down at the long drop into the woods. For a dragging moment they glared at one another, a cold wind howling between them.

"You're a coward," Kanda hissed, wiping the blood from his teeth. "You think petty revenge is going to make things better?"

Coward? Who was he calling a coward? Need he remind him who it was that had to resort to dirty tricks to get his way? Need he remind him who had to make deals with a warlock? Lavi bared his teeth, and Kanda smiled like the smug bastard he was.

A cord wrapped around his neck, once, twice, three times, strangling him. His grip on Kanda faltered as his neck was forced backwards. Kanda was engulfed in a magic bubble, breaking Lavi's hold, and levitated behind him.  
"Calm your scaly ass down, Lavi," came Cross's irate voice from atop his head. Lavi made a noise to protest, but Cross pulled on the cords, silencing him. "I said that's enough. Fly down."

If he didn't obey, Cross would suffocate him. Lavi slowly settled his front claws on the spire, then allowed his body to slide off of the rock, spreading his wings and gliding the rest of the way down.  
They landed in the woods, crushing through the threads of dead foliage between them and the ground. Kanda's bubble floated down first, popping just shy of the ground and dropping the Lord unceremoniously into the mud. He grunted in pain, but was otherwise in one piece. He pulled himself up by his elbows, glaring at Lavi as Cross stepped off of him via his face, making certain to tread on his snout in the process.

The man lit up a cigarette that wasn't there before, taking a long drag before finally turning back to face Lavi, still fuming.  
"You're a fucking brat," Cross started, and when Lavi snarled in response, Cross snapped his fingers at him and the cords coiled around his mouth. It was then that Lavi noticed they weren't even real. Did Cross use his magic for everything, or what? "You keep that crocodile mouth of yours shut until that rage blows over, then we'll talk." It was then quiet as Cross took another drag of his poison. "We're not here to kill you, for your information, but I can't have you killing Lord Kanda, either." Lavi narrowed his eyes at the man, and it was all he could do to keep from lunging at them both. Oddly, Cross's voice was soothing, and he found the rage quickly subsiding the longer they remained there. His breathing slowed, his mind clearing. "Do you know why dragons were hunted to extinction?" Cross continued, answering his thoughts. "They were territorial, and when they feel threatened, they went apeshit berserk. They were a danger to not only man, but to themselves. Their rage knew no limits. So much was destroyed."

Lavi lifted his head at the man, peering up at him with his one eye. He was right. He wasn't himself, and he succumbed to his anger. It almost frightened him, how he'd lost control. "Take that as a lesson. You're no beast, Lavi, but if you act like one, you'll lose in the end. You and everyone around you."

Kanda scoffed. "You're wasting time, old man. Lenalee-!"

"Is fine, quit your mewling. Lavi wouldn't hurt her. Besides, the girl can hold her own," Cross cut him off. Kanda turned away from them both. As much as he couldn't stand the noble, Lavi had to agree with him. He'd left the nest, when Allen told him to guard it, and he'd only done it because all he could think of was revenge. How easily he had lost sight of what was important. Worry had his skin crawling.

"You have your head back, kid?" Cross said, meeting his eye. Lavi nodded slowly. "Hmph." He snuffed out the cigarette, disposing it into the nether. Lavi drew back as the coils dissolved, and he stood, shaking his head. Magic was… uncomfortable. He caught Kanda glaring at him from behind the Grand Magister, and shot him a menacing snarl back.

"You two better start behaving," Cross grumped, sounding like a tired old man, "Or I'll turn you both into newts and feed you to a stray cat." He stepped closer to Lavi, stopping mere inches from his snout. "You're going to take us to Lenalee. Once she's safe, you're going to help us find Allen. And you're going to help us destroy him. That's how we're getting you back to normal. That's how we're putting an end to this circus. Any questions? That's right, you can't talk. Let's be off then."

Cross stepped over his face to settle behind his neck. Kanda started.

"Are you nuts old man?" he barked, wincing as he pulled his leg closer.  
"Hmm. You're right, I forgot about your injury," Cross said, unconcerned. There was a surge of magic, and Kanda was encased in a bubble again. Kanda was clearly not pleased, and Cross clearly did not care.

"Damn it old man!" Kanda groused, his bubble joining Cross. "My leg is no good! Can't you do something about it?"

"I could chop it off?" Cross offered.  
"Not what I meant!" Kanda grumbled back.

Lavi took off from the ground again, seeing little option on his part. Cross was the most powerful Magister alive, and he doubted even Allen could match his strength. He knew Cross well enough to know he could and would make good on his promise to end him should he step out of line. The flight back to the nest was a short one, but it seemed to be a long time in Lavi's mind. He didn't know who to trust. Allen seemed sincere in his endeavour, his methods questionable, but his intentions good. Cross would protect Lenalee, and all of Westreach, no matter what it took, and provided he didn't step on the man's toes, they would be safe. But what would Cross sacrifice to defeat Millennium? Did Cross even know of the danger? There was more to this crooked story, and Lavi didn't know how he was going to make heads or tails of it. He felt like a spectator. For the first time, he was worried for Allen. Cross was determined to destroy him. If he did, what would become of the Incarnates? Why did Allen need to die in order to turn him back to normal? He knew killing Allen wouldn't stop Millennium. If only he could somehow communicate that to Cross.

His claws found purchase on some pebbles close enough to the nest for Cross to climb to. He didn't know if Allen or Lenalee were still in there. He would have thought they'd have come out by now. He dreaded what lie within, but there was no way he could fit in the tunnel to find out, or he would have by now.

Cross stepped onto the ledge, peering into the dark tunnel and whistling. A small wisp of light materialised nearby, floating freely into the nest and illuminating the way forward. Lavi craned his neck, trying to see down the tunnel. Cross looked back at Lavi with Kanda still resting behind his neck, and grimaced.  
"Looks like I'm going in here alone, since you broke that idiot's leg," he said to Lavi. Both of them started.

"You're leaving me? With him?!" Kanda exclaimed. Lavi's nostrils flared in much the same expression of dissent. The Magister rolled his eyes.

"Should have just brought the damn cat with me…" he grumbled. "Listen, you two need to stop acting like quarrelling little children. Talk out your differences," he glanced at Lavi, "Or… something. I don't care. Just don't kill each other while I'm gone. I mean it."

With that, Cross disappeared into the nest. That man had little patience, Lavi lamented. Resigning to at least try to tolerate his would-be killer, Lavi clambered down the rocks, ignoring Kanda's pained protests as he did so. He made no effort to keep the man upright, sparing his pained cries no mercy. When they were on solid ground again, he shook the Lord off of his shoulders. Kanda fell to the dirt, his once clean and dignified hunting clothes soiled beyond repair. His pants leg was torn where he'd been pinned under the boulder, and Lavi finally got a good look at the injury. What he thought was just mud on his shirt was his blood, and he noted with a well-hidden quiver that the bone was snapped and was protruding from under his knee. He almost felt bad for him. To his credit, Kanda wasn't making much of a fuss over it, and it looked agonising. That's what happened when you fucked with an angry dragon.

They locked eyes, mistrust ebbing between them. Kanda looked betrayed. He started edging toward the rocks, and Lavi tilted his head, watching the man with mild curiosity. When he reached them, he threw up an arm and started hoisting himself to his feet, and Lavi was fairly impressed by his strength. He wobbled on one leg, wincing and swallowing the pain from his injured one. Lavi stifled a laugh at his effort to hide his weakness in his presence. But then, he started limping away.

"Where are you going, you idiot?" Lavi said, but Kanda wouldn't understand the draconic grumbles that emerged from him. He reached out with one claw and hooked it behind the man's shirt. He gave a startled cry as Lavi yanked him back onto his ass. The man hissed in pain, and now all Lavi could feel for him was pity. Kanda hated his guts, he knew that, but he was essentially trapped with him now, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.  _Eh, he deserved it_ , Lavi thought.

Kanda pulled his sword from its sheath on his back, pointing it upwards at Lavi's head looming over him. He peered down at it curiously. It was ineffectual before, and he had a tough hide now to thank for it.

"Don't touch me, son of a bitch," Kanda heaved, his voice giving away his inner struggle. His arm faltered, and he dropped his sword when it fell to his side. Lavi watched as he turned his attention finally to where it belonged: his leg. It really was an ugly wound, and Kanda started tearing at the fabric to get a good look at it. Like most broken bones, he would definitely have to set this one if he wanted it to even begin healing.  
He watched as Kanda gathered the torn cloth, winding it around his wrist as many times as it would go, then bit down on it as he placed both hands on his leg. Was he going to try and set it himself? He got his answer as Kanda's muffled shout sounded from the cloth, tears in his eyes as he attempted to push down on it. Lavi sighed inwardly. Nobles, for all of their fancy education, didn't know  _everything_. He was pushing on it much too slowly, and frankly was causing himself far more agony than was necessary. Lavi then took the liberty of setting it with his knuckle, quick and clean. There was an ugly sound, and Kanda flinched as he did so. Lavi picked up his sword sheath in his mouth and dropped it next to his leg, bobbing his head. Kanda seemed to understand, and used the sheath to make a tourniquet with the torn cloth he was biting. It wasn't perfect, but it was all they had, and would just have to do until they found a proper medic.

He couldn't explain what possessed him to want to help the man; they'd been trying to kill each other. He didn't even expect a thank-you. Perhaps it was pity. Kanda turned to look at him again, and though his expression was unreadable, he didn't appear vicious, either.

"I didn't want it to happen this way," Kanda said, suddenly.  _Yeah, neither did I_ , Lavi thought. "I should have just let you have her. It isn't worth it. Not this." Kanda reached for his House crest on his hunting shirt, tearing it off and staring bitterly at it in his dirty palm. The move surprised Lavi; was that  _remorse_  he heard? Of course, it must be easy to talk when the other could only listen.

"I  _do_  care about her. You probably won't believe me, but I do. It's just a game. A sick- political- game. And I was so mad that I was losing. I was shamed. I lost sight of what was important. I shouldn't have done this. I shouldn't have done any of this."

Lavi's eye was almost bulging in disbelief. Was Kanda trying to apologise? He didn't necessarily say he was sorry, but it was the closest he was going to get to an apology from this man. That, in itself, was extraordinarily unexpected. Though, the sudden confession did have him wondering. His planned marriage to Lenalee was supposedly for the sake of a political agenda, one he had pursued ferociously until now. What had changed? The game, or the man?

"I swear," Kanda continued, his voice edging on an unfamiliar intensity, "I'll kill that demon if it's the last thing I'll ever do."

"They're gone," Cross's voice interrupted Kanda's resolute speech, cutting out from the fringe of the nest over both of their heads. "I sense there were demons inside, and if it's true Lenalee was there as well, she may be in danger." The red-haired man shot an accusing look at Lavi. "You're going to have a lot of explaining to do later, runt." Lavi shrank back under his gaze. There was something intimidating about that man, even if he was four times his size. But even more worrisome was that Lenalee and Allen were both gone. The news sunk into him like lead. Allen had to have taken her. But where? He felt betrayed. If he laid even a single hand on her…

"So now what?" Kanda blurted impatiently, voicing Lavi's unspoken question.

"You're not going to like it," Cross warned, and Kanda narrowed his eyes.  
"I am  _not_  jumping a line again," Kanda spat. The Magister's lips curved ever so slightly into a wicked smile.

"You're jumping a line again."


	7. Blood in the Water

Allen knew almost right away that the girl wasn't here. The space reeked of demons, and though he could sense that a human had been through here, she was long gone now. The tunnel was bare except for some old roots that had long since died. The rocks had collapsed some few yards in, but removing the blockade was an easy task. He spelled the boulders, easily shifting the small ones along either side of him and creating a path ahead. Some pebbles rolled aside, the small sounds breaking the quiet of the stone surrounding him. Allen never did like small spaces but he could feel the presence of his kin here. If his uneasy feeling was correct, and if he was to believe what Nea had told him about the Incarnates, this one was the most dangerous, and he took appropriate caution as he pressed forward.

"Ah, there's the little murderer," Tyki's velvety voice chimed through the space ahead. The dim light was fading quickly, as if someone had put out a flame. The demon's dark chuckle followed as Allen's eyes adjusted to the darkness. "The girl isn't here, but I reckon you know that already. Have you come to talk, little brother? We do have much to discuss."

Allen stiffened. His voice seemed to be coming from everywhere as it bounced over the walls, and as he moved forward it didn't seem to be getting any closer or farther away. There didn't seem to be an end to this tunnel, and Allen considered the possibility that Tyki was interfering with his consciousness. He wielded a shield around his mind as a precaution.

"Where is she then, if she isn't here?" Allen asked, continuing his trek. He almost stumbled over a protruding root when Tyki's cackle of laughter filled his ears. "She's with me, lad, where she belongs. She owes me, you know. You think so little of me?"

"I don't trust you, Tyki. You know that," Allen said, stopping when the space seemed to open up into a round room, with three more paths leading out of it. The warlock sighed, knowing Tyki chose this place for its maze-like structure. The demon liked having the territorial advantage. "You wound me," Tyki drawled. "And all I wanted to do was to bring the whole family together again."

"By killing them?" Allen quipped, and Tyki's silence told him he'd struck a nerve. His lip curved upward, unable to help himself. "You know I feel what Nea felt. I can feel their pain, and I know when their presence fades. Who was your latest victim, Tyki, was it Road? And before that? The twins?" The air thinned around him, and he could tell Tyki was pulling on a line when the air pressure dropped. Allen burst into movement, choosing the middle path and running through it, eyes to the ground to watch for stray rocks and roots. There was a low rumble behind him and a dust filled the air, telling him that Tyki had collapsed the room he'd just come from. The demon was not pleased, but Allen expected that. Tyki and Nea had never been on good terms, and after Allen inherited Nea's power, Allen had risen to the top of Tyki's most wanted list. Tyki possessed the mantles of six- now seven- of the other incarnates, and that was only because he'd stolen them. Nea possessed equivalents of all of their mantles and more, and while Allen's heart still beat, he would never allow Tyki to have it. Still, Tyki was exceptionally powerful, and with his own unique mantle, Allen was not interested in fighting him.

Tyki's laughter filled the tunnel again as Allen came to a dead end. He swore, tapping a line and pulling on its energy. It was like breathing in pure oxygen, both rejuvenating his senses and sending him into a high on the wild power of the line. He could feel his hair almost floating, like static, as the magic coursed through him. He spindled the energy and focused it on the wall in front of him, then threw it with all of his might. The wall was bombarded, and Allen shielded his eyes as the light flooded in. Dust rose, but he stumbled forward, not wanting to be in that confined space any longer.

He found himself standing in a sheltered ledge overlooking the north of the Devil's Wood, and he could even see the lake from here. The Spires were behind him now, and unfortunately, he would have to meet up with Lavi later, if he survived this. His freedom was short-lived as a great beast of a bird perched on the edge in front of him. It looked like it was made of coal black smoke, and Allen felt his throat constricting just looking at it. It was a construct, one crafted by Tyki using his own mantle. He called them Tease, but anyone else might call it a massive phoenix. To Allen, they were just a pain in his ass. Allen had crafted only one such construct, Tim, and he hadn't used any elegant materials to do so. Tyki stepped off the great bird with an unnatural grace, a warring look on his face.

"It is good to see you, little brother," Tyki greeted him insincerely. "But I cannot allow you to leave this place alive."

"Well bonk a handsome chicken if I wasn't right about you," Allen returned, not at all happy to see him. At least he was direct about wanting to kill him, not that Allen had any doubts about that. The thing was, Allen wasn't ready to fight him. While he was perfectly capable of killing a demon, he was not prepared to face what was essentially several at once. And now, with Road's mantle at his fingertips, Tyki was a formidable enemy. And, even with his own version of each of the Incarnate's powers, Allen was not as well-acquainted with using them as he'd prefer to admit. A second Tease approached, landing next to Tyki's. This one seemed to shimmer with a metallic substance, easily giving away its rider. Allen stiffened when he saw who it was, and what condition she was under.

"Mind control is a little tacky, even for you, Tyki," Allen remarked, his eyes following the girl climbing off of its neck to join Tyki, his arm coiling around her shoulders possessively.

"It's hypnosis," Tyki drawled, "Honestly lad, you're unsuited for this work. I know what you're up to, and you know as well as I do that we cannot allow this unruliness of yours to continue."

Allen frowned at him.

"Release her. She's innocent," Allen demanded. Tyki almost shook in his boots in laughter.

"Of course, mother. Of course!" And without hesitation, he threw Lenalee from the edge. Allen started, not expecting the reaction. With a shout of effort, Allen threw himself forward, summoning a barrier between himself and Tyki. Tyki's reaction was almost instant, throwing back his own energy to shatter it, but Allen had already moved past him.

He bound his shape and took on his dragon form, a shape only a true demon could take. It was a mantle he shared with Lulubell, and for now, she was safe. Tyki couldn't shape shift, but he did have his constructs, so being able to fly away from here was only half the battle, and Allen was prepared for it. He caught the falling girl in his claws, but her sudden added weight made him stumble midair.

A construct slammed into Allen, and its talons ripped off several of his scales. Allen howled, pain blazing. He spat fire back at it, setting it alight. It shrieked loudly, hurting Allen's ears, then swooped into the lake below and emerged, steaming and shrieking in rage. It had changed form as it did so, seeming to absorb the water and essentially become water itself. Fire wouldn't harm it; he would have to change tactics. He flew low, tail skimming the water, wind lashing him. He was still much too far from Westcliff. When he looked back, he saw that his pursuer had more company. The aquatic Tease was now flanked by two of its kin, which were flickering with electricity.

Tyki's pets had a nasty habit of changing forms. They could absorb the weather surrounding them, which affected their abilities depending on the element they chose to be. Storm Tease were especially dangerous near water. He rose above the lake, moving higher, crashing through the clouds and emerging into a startling blue sky, the sun a blazing disc above. He found an air current and shot forward, his body straight as a javelin. He was moving so fast now that the clouds below him blurred. The warm sun hit his back while the icy air bit at him. He'd never flown this fast before, and there was no way his phoenix pursuers would catch up to him now, he told himself.

He'd spoken too soon. There was a crackling shriek behind him. He turned his head, and cursed when he saw the three birds tailing him, their flickering bodies like fiery arrows in the sun. It seemed that losing them wasn't an option anymore. The air stung him, icicles covered him, and he could hardly breathe in the thin, frigid air. His altitude was too dangerous. He dropped himself just a few hundred yards, dipping into the clouds. Turning his head again, he could see nothing but the pale white air, but he could definitely hear them, and they were moving closer. He looked down. Lenalee was unconscious in his grip, but she was still alive.

He pulled his wings in close, dove, and emerged from under the clouds again. He spied a land of rock and water. Great stone teeth rose from the gently lapping waves, some hundreds of feet tall. The jutting rock formed towers, snaking walls, and canyons filled with lake water. The rocks looked like forts, complete with pillars and bridges and tunnels, the battlements of some forgotten water gods. The lazy waves rolled between the pillars and through stone tunnels, moving in and out of crevices like the sleepy breath of lake monsters. Allen had never seen this place, and he was spellbound by its beauty and danger. Shrieks sounded somewhere above him. Allen raised his head and saw the Tease swooping from the clouds, talons outstretched, and cackling with their stolen energies.

Allen veered to the side, but one of the birds clawed his leg, drawing blood. Another almost took a swipe at him, but he swivelled, dodging it, then spun again, just missing the next attack. They had him surrounded. Allen bellowed fire at the one in front of him, and the bird swerved to move out of the way of the flames. He zoomed by it, almost hitting the water, then straightened himself to skim over the surface. The boulders rose around him, black and jagged, and one almost hit his shoulder as he flew past. The waves brushed against his belly. Stone walls rose ahead, a canyon between them, barely wider than his body. He flew into the canyon.

The walls rushed by his sides, the water splashing against his face. Screeches rose behind him, and when he glanced over his shoulder, he saw the Tease follow him into the canyon. Allen flew up and down, dodging the rocks jutting from the walls. He snaked around boulders like liquid silver streaming through a labyrinth. Fire pumped through him, and despite the danger, Allen grinned. He was fast, exhilarated. In some places, the canyon walls met above him, forming tunnels. One such tunnel was so low, his belly dipped into the frigid water. A thud came from behind him, followed by a shriek of pain.

Allen howled in laughter. Tyki may be powerful now, but even with the power of seven Incarnates at his fingertips, the guile of the Shepherd was still beyond his grasp. Suddenly the canyon curved, and Allen made a sharp turn. His shoulder grazed the stone wall, and he grunted, but made the turn with nothing more than a scratch. Behind him came a thud, a shriek, and a resounding splash; one Tease at least had not made the turn. Allen kept flying. When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw that the wounded Tease was gone. But in its place, a new figure shot out from the ruins; it was Tyki, riding atop a flaming black phoenix like some grand knight. He clenched his teeth, spinning to face Tyki as the man advanced on him. His jaws parted and a jet of fire roared at Tyki.

Tyki's construct rose, dodging the fire and raising its talons, but it hit an overhanging arch of stone. The monster let out a screech, and Allen lunged forward, slashing at it with his hind claws, cradling Lenalee tightly in his arms. His claws found purchase on the construct's raised talon hooking the two for a brief moment. The great bird stretched its neck to bite him, but Allen rolled away, dodging the attack and lashing out with his tail as he flew back. It hit Tyki square on, and blood splattered his pearly scales. Allen let out a satisfied growl.

"You won't have them," he shouted back at Tyki, kicking off from the stone and flying away. Something hit him from behind, piercing his chest, and Allen howled. Pain bloomed, seeming to twist into his gut, transforming into an ugly, dizzying ache. He'd never felt it before, but he knew where it came from. It was a product of Fiidora's mantle, one of Tyki's first targets. Poison.

 _Is this it? No, not like this,_  Allen thought desperately, losing control of his body. His wings felt stiff and he could barely still fly. Lenalee. He had to keep her safe.  _How?_  He began to dip several yards. For an instant, he managed to lock eyes with Tyki. The demon's goat-slitted eyes were ablaze, so full of hatred that Allen almost faltered. What had caused this? What had driven Tyki to kill his own kin, to kill him? What did he have to gain?

The moment passed, and Tyki's construct shot up and was quickly retreating from his sight. Tyki had poisoned him in order to flee, as Allen had badly wounded him in their skirmish. If not for the draw, one of them would surely be dead.

"Coward!" Allen shouted after him weakly, but his energy was quickly draining. He flapped his wings, but his body felt heavy and impossible to lift. Tyki was getting away, becoming a distant speck in the twilight.

A poisonous bolt whizzed past him. Alarmed, Allen spun aside. He tried to fly higher, his head exploding in agony. The poison spread fast. Tyki had no honour, and would fight like a coward until the end. His eyes shut, and he began losing altitude again. He dipped several hundred yards. Another poisonous bolt came zooming down, and this time it sank into him. Allen fell, and finally crashed into the lake.

His wings were paralysed, his muscles aching and burning. The icy water filled his mouth and he swallowed a lungful.

 _Shit,_  he thought, shrinking into his human form.  _Drowning is the worst way to die._  His eyes opened a barest crack, and he could just make out the outline of someone reaching for him. But just as their fingers might touch, darkness took over his mind.

* * *

Kanda had calculated that in order to be a Magister, one had to possess a fearless digestive system, and the impossible ability to accept that it was entirely possible to exist as nothing and anything at once. Ley line jumping went something like this, in his experiences recently with Cross; first, your body is completely dissolved into nothing but a thought, and for a moment you simply exist. It was a strange phenomenon, being aware of yourself, yet knowing that functionally you don't really exist at all. Then, you become. Suddenly, you've popped back into reality, but your body hasn't fully formed yet, so you, as a thought, are now attempting to catch up with the notion that you do exist. Finally, everything seems to snap together, and not at all comfortably. Whiplash didn't even begin to describe it. He doubled over, hurling where he stood. Behind him, Cross was lighting his cigarette as if all was dandy in the world. Well, it wasn't, and Kanda slowly turned to remind him of that, but was stopped when pain spiked in his leg, and he was brought to the ground in an undignified memento of his condition. Cross just stared at him, lazily taking a drag.

"Thank you for standing testimony to my reason for coming here," Cross mouthed off. Kanda could only glare up at him. "Look where I've brought you. Personally, I'd have gone for just chopping it off, but imagine the shite I'd get from the dignitaries."

"It's a brothel," Kanda observed, flatly.

"It's a church, show some respect," Cross corrected him scornfully.

"Church of what? The divine concubine?"

"Just get inside," Cross gave him a shove, and Kanda hobbled forward. The man looked behind them a moment in consideration. "You'll have to wait outside," he told Lavi, and the oaf made a sound of numbed agreement which preceded a thump Kanda could feel through his feet. The two men entered the 'church', coming into a dimly-lit den flanked on both sides by passages concealed with a bright, dyed silk. It even smelled like a brothel. Kanda was still wondering what in the hell sort of church it was when a woman emerged from one of the silk passages, wearing nothing. Absolutely nothing. Cross bowed low to her respectfully, and punched Kanda in the gut next to him until he, too, staggered into a bow. He averted his eyes from the woman.

"You've come a long way, Magister," the woman greeted Cross, approaching and laying a hand sensually on his chest. "And you've brought with you a guest."

"Aye, Sister. Lord Yu Kanda of Fort Honning. We've come seeking your aid in healing his wounds."

"So I see," the Sister remarked, taking in Kanda's leg injury. The woman had large, brown eyes, her chestnut hair tied back in a wavy fashion only befitting a priestess. She looked to be young, perhaps only nineteen. "Well, come inside, then. The springs are warm." Cross started forward after the woman disappeared ahead. Kanda limped after him slowly, uncertain what to expect. Why had he never heard of this place?

"Kid," Cross addressed him seriously, winding his arm under Kanda's shoulder to support his weight, much to Kanda's relief. Kanda looked up. "Don't drink the tea." Without further context, they bowed under the beaded curtain. He could smell water now, and it certainly seemed warmer. There was a faint, herbal scent he couldn't place. When he parted the curtain ahead, he was surrounded by three barely-clothed women, one of which was the hostess who had greeted them earlier. Kanda stiffened, trying to avert his eyes, flinching as their hands gently caressed his arms.

"Relax, darling," the priestess advised him, "I am Sister Chomesuke. I am a healer." The girls on either side of him were close. Too close. He wondered what sort of clergywoman would so blatantly elect to wear the opposite of their usual dressing code.

"Your injury is far too severe for our usual healing methods," Chomesuke said, and her voice was soothing, like the soft chimes of an antique music box. "I will bring you to my personal spring."

There was something about how she claimed it as her own that alarmed Kanda somewhat, but strangely, the alarm faded as quickly as it had come. It was the atmosphere; the dim lights, the sounds of water gently streaming into the spring, and the pleasant aromas wafting about which made it impossible to feel tension. He didn't know whether the other two females present were also priestesses, or courtesans who stuck around for some sort of after-show. Their method for healing was beyond him at this point, but he calculated he was about to find out.

Chomesuke took his arm and pried him away from Cross, who disappeared with a crooked smile. He was guided through another room, through more beaded curtains. In here, the light was a calm blue, and was even darker than the rest of the spring. Chomesuke entered the water, letting go of his arm and turning to beckon him forward. "Enter the water with me," she instructed, her voice enchanting. She then continued walking, until her head submerged in the water and she vanished. Kanda blinked, waiting for her to come back up. But she didn't. Alarmed, he almost lunged in after her, splashing the water over the side of the pool and wading in waist-deep. He was stunned by the clarity of the water. He couldn't feel any pain in his leg. Was this a healing spring?

Chomesuke's arms coiled around him, and his clothes seemed to dissolve into the spring water. "H-hey!" Kanda stuttered, but Chomesuke circled around him, lifting something from the water. It was a clay pot, and she held it far over her head, tilting it over Kanda's bare chest. It came down like a waterfall, and he met Chomesuke's eyes through the clear, wavering stream. They were glowing, like petrified amber glinting in sunlight. When the stream ended, his breath caught in his throat. Where Chomesuke had been stood Lenalee, her eyes sparkling. She, too, was completely naked in the crystal water. Her hand found his cheek and she touched it gently, tracing a line to his jaw. "Relax," she said. She leaned forward and her lips brushed against his, promising and sensual.

"Lenalee," Kanda started, not knowing what to say. "We need to go back. It's not safe…"

"Shh," Lenalee pressed a finger to his lips. "We are safe here. There's nobody but us. Relax."

He looked past her, seeing the familiar walls of the bath house in Westreach. He'd been there as a visitor, but men and women did not share a single bath. Why was Lenalee here? He felt a fog come down on him; the heat of the bath had made the room steamy.

"Go, we'll be caught," he said.

"We'll be fine. Nobody is here. We can do what we want," Lenalee smiled fondly at him. "We always have."

"You've always been so reluctant," Kanda reminded her, trying to hide the hurt in his voice. "You never wanted anything to do with me."

"I wanted you to chase me," Lenalee said, her body close enough to touch. "All girls want to be chased."

"But what about Lavi?" he asked, almost hating himself for it.

"You and I were promised. Lavi and I cannot be." He felt Lenalee's breath on his chin. "I want you to belong to me, now. Love me, want me." Lenalee raised a cup to his lips. His lips parted a moment, but he shut them quickly, a small voice of doubt in his mind. "I want you to trust me, Kanda. How can you love me with no trust?" Lenalee's voice was more urgent, and the cup was pressed even closer. He could almost taste the herbs in the drink. It was a tea, but it had a strange aroma. The voice in the back of his mind was screaming 'no!' Kanda raised a hand and pushed the cup away. Lenalee glowered at him. "You're a stupid man, milord," she said, her voice hard, "It's no wonder Lavi has so easily captured my heart. He's man enough to make a move! You on the other hand, you think you're so important! You won't even drink my tea, and I brewed it specially for you!"

Cross's words echoed in his mind. Don't drink the tea! Kanda's eyes snapped open and his hand flew out, slapping the cup away. He heard it shatter on the wall. The bath immediately grew cold. Before him stood Chomesuke, and she was furious. Her face was red with anger, and her eyes had shifted to a pitch black. In fact her whole body was red, and so was the water. Her body was the water. Kanda stepped back, feeling the strength in his leg again.

"You're a water nymph?!" Kanda shouted, stumbling out of the water. Chomesuke seemed to glide forward, her arm out-reached. He couldn't place the look on her face. It was somewhere between anger and hurt. Betrayal.

"How dare you!" she shrieked, her voice like a crashing wave. The spring began to overflow, and with it, Chomesuke disappeared. Kanda stood frantically, trying to find the door. The room was flooding quickly, filling with the angry red spring water. "How dare you refuse me! You know not what happiness you could have known! Drown!"

The water quickly reached the ceiling, and Kanda shouted, trying to keep his head above the rising water. He took a deep breath before it crushed him into the top of the room. He dove to the bottom, searching desperately for the exit. He saw an alcove, and swam toward it. He was stopped by an image of Lenalee, her sad eyes finding his. She swam to him effortlessly, both hands cupping his cheeks, and their lips met. She kissed him, her tongue diving in between his lips and locking them together, taking his breath away. With each moment, he felt dizzy, he felt darkness engulfing him. His lungs protested, but he was too weak to break the nymph's life-leeching kiss.

There was a muffled crash, and a rushing of water. The nymph pulled away from him in surprise as he was lurched upward and away from her reach. The cold air was biting at his skin while he gasped for air. He was set down, and he rolled on his side, trying to catch his breath again. His vision came back and the first thing he saw was Cross's well-aimed fist across his cheek.

"I told you not to drink the tea!" Cross barked. He was shaking with anger. "You were in there for three hours! It's a damn good thing I made it out here. I blasted open a hole in the top of the church for you, and this idiot had to pull you out before she drank your soul! You've ruined my relationship with these fine priestesses!  _You owe me one hell of a debt, you hear me?!_ " Cross was fuming, but Kanda wasn't listening. His leg was healed and he could walk again, but it took a strong spell to make him see the truth in things. Even a nymph could see why Lenalee never wanted him. He was too proud to show her how he even felt, because he'd always assumed she would be his. Lavi stepped in and won her over, something he didn't have the guts to do. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve her at all.

Frowning, he looked up at Cross. "I will find a way to repay you," he looked reluctantly at Lavi, who was busied with stretching his wings. Cross must have brought out some water to heal them. He remembered Lavi was struggling with them before. Cross was nearly shaking in his mood, but he stood and walked away from Kanda, presumably to smoke.

"I will repay you as well," he told Lavi, who turned his head toward him. Kanda found it unusually difficult to read his expressions. He knew the man distrusted him, as he never turned his blind eye toward him. He couldn't tell if Lavi even believed him or not. His nostrils flared briefly before he went back to watching Cross.

 _I know,_  Kanda thought, bitterly,  _I want this nightmare to be over, too._


	8. Surrender

The morning rays were peeking through dusty blinds, further obscured by stacks of old tomes on either side. But, somehow, one small beam managed to wiggle through the cracks, lighting on the old cat's closed eyes. She tried so hard to ignore it. All she wanted to do was sleep. Her old bones were literally a pain to move around with. She shifted her head slightly on her fuzzy paws, finding that blissful darkness to fall back into abyss.

A thump on the window sent her reflexes into kitten mode, and she sprung back a distance, crashing gracelessly into a bucket on the floor.

Grumpily, she collected herself, tipping the bucket over and trotting out of it. She debated upon checking out the cause of the disturbance, or remaining there on the floor as she shook the collected dust from the bucket out of her coal fur. Curiosity, of course, won this battle, as was a cat's nature.

With a little effort, she leapt back onto the table she had been napping on, yellow eyes fixed on the round glass window dominating the room. She saw nothing, but she could see where there had been a disturbance. A quick stretch was in order before she would make the leap to the sill. Her hind claws spread wide when she stretched her poor old legs. They had done quite a bit of jumping and springing over the years. She was good at it, but that didn't mean it had gotten easier in her age. The dust now in the air with the commotion made her sneeze, her whiskers tingling unpleasantly.

With an impressive leap, she made it to the window, which was tilted outward a little, the cool morning air lapping the space like invisible water. She used this window to enter and exit the library. The Archivist never seemed to mind her doing so. She liked him. He was handsome, and always brought her food. She'd tried to stop the young man from leaving with another Lord, but he'd shoo'd her away just like any common feline. Not that she was offended, but she did somewhat care for his safety when she caught another Incarnate's scent upon that Lord Kanda. When he didn't come back, the apathy took hold and she merely despaired she would have to start mousing again for her food.

She slid through the opening of the window, and immediately found the cause of the disrupting sound. It was a dead crow, not just dead because it slammed beak-first into a wall, but long, long dead. She recognised it. She considered where she might have seen it as she licked her paw, bathing her head and ears. She knew it was several years ago, that much was certain. She put her paw down, her ears folding back and her tail twitching away as the offensive smell hit her full on. The bird shuddered, and snapped back to life, preening at its disheveled feathers (or what was left of them.) Right, she remembered, this was the Magister's old bird. She killed it once, but yet here it was. What was its name? Oh, it didn't matter.

She sat down carefully, tucking her paws under her chest, but keeping a fair distance from the ugly thing. Her tail swished back and forth in annoyance. Why did it reek of the Shepherd's magic? It must have come for her. But why? After the disappearance of Nea, she vowed to make scarce of herself. The others respected that. She'd been left to her own, and she was living a simple existence, waiting for the return of their master. Had Nea returned? The thought was both exciting and worrying. She saw the Magister banish them both. If Nea was back, then surely the master was, as well.

Her curiosity won her over, again.

She stood, taking tentative steps toward the disgusting bird. Her eyes flashed, and the bird began hopping away. It was leading her somewhere. She huffed in annoyance. She would have to do more jumping today.

She followed the little bird over the rooftops, down to the alleyways, through the barracks, and out via a crevice in the barricade. They emerged in the foliage outside the city borders, and thus began a longer trek through the early morning woods. She wished her old bones would just give up already, but while her presence prolonged a cat's life substantially, it did nothing to slow the ageing process. Honestly, it would be freeing if she simply threw herself from the Reach at this point.

Her nose was tickled by the scent of fresh water. They were approaching the lake. She didn't remember having walked this far already, and that bird wasn't moving all that quickly on its hobbling little stubs. Her ears turned on their sides when she heard a commotion in the distance. She heard the shrieks of birds and the shouts of a fight. But where was it? She couldn't see far past the trees, especially being so low to the ground. Her pace quickened, sensing that it may be the reason the little undead bird led her this way. If the reason wasn't unordinary in any manner then she was a teapot and this bird was a cute little girl in a sunflower dress. As the odd duo drew closer to the lake's edge, the sounds had grown so distinct now that she could almost identify the source. It wasn't your average avian territorial duel.

When the trees finally gave way and they stood at the rocky shore, she could finally see the battle before her unfolding, and it didn't look like either side was winning. The ugly crow grew excited and cawed at her, bouncing on its talons until it fell into the sand beak-first. It didn't move. She paid it no mind, her slitted eyes fixed on the great flying beasts locked in combat over the waters. She recognised Tyki's constructs, but she did not recognise the pearly white beast it fought. Her claws clicked on the rocks as she followed them along the shoreline, picking up speed as they did. They were in full flight again, and there was no way she could keep up.

"Why am I here if you are to both outfly me?" She hissed, struggling to scramble up a particularly tall rock. "I swear if I break a single nail I'll-!"

A pained roar erupted from the white scaled beast, and it plummeted into the water ahead of her. She halted her chase momentarily to note Tyki retreating in the opposite direction. "Hmm," she looked back at the disturbed waters, then decided to investigate the crash site in no particular haste.

She settled on a small rock overlooking the water, and waited. She saw a few bubbles rise and spread over the surface, but otherwise, the area calmed considerably, content with its swallowed morsel.

"They're coming back up, yes?" She wondered, feline brain initiating a nervous purr. Her claws stretched against the rock impatiently. The crow caught up, standing on the rock next to her. Its ugly beak pointed up at her face. "Don't look at me like that," she mewed. Her paw reached forward, batting at the surface and making small ripples. "It's cold! I won't!" But with the seconds ticking by, she started to think that perhaps she didn't have much of a choice. There was something down there compelling her to jump in. "Stupid bird," she hissed, and jumped into the water.

Her fur melted away under the surface, feline form rippling and shimmering to resemble a woman. Long and straight black hair reminiscent of the cat's trailed behind her. Her bright, golden eyes opened and she gazed down at the dark water below her. There were two figures sinking, and she swam after them. Her arm reached out and grasped at each of their hands. A jolt of energy filled her at the boy's touch, but there was no time to guess what it could be. With what could only be demonic strength, she hoisted them both toward her, and pulled their bodies back to the surface.

Breaking the surface felt like being slapped in the face with glass. The water was so cold, and the air outside was perhaps worse. She pulled them both back up, shivering. She dropped to her knees and pressed both of her hands onto the girl's chest, jolting her with a low amount of energy. She rolled onto her stomach and spat the water from her lungs. Immediately, her attention turned to the boy, but when her hands found his chest, the same energy greeted her. It was overwhelming and yet tame, and somehow, warm and familiar. It enveloped her completely, and she found she could no longer look away.

The girl she'd revived had sat up, and was looking on at them, horrified. Her muffled voice filtered through her head like static.

**-Lenalee POV-**

She couldn't decide if she were dreaming or having a nightmare. It really could have been both, the way her head and body felt. It was like the time she woke from her coma, only to find that time had passed and her body was completely different. She couldn't remember a thing. And now, she felt like she'd just been manhandled by a mountain and dropped on her neck by God.

The first thing she saw when she woke was the face of a woman, dark-haired like her, but definitely much older. She was completely naked, and her hair was soaking wet. When Lenalee chucked the water from her lungs, she connected the dots and was a bit startled to realise where she was and that she could very well have been drowning. So, she tried to sit up, to thank the woman, only to find her attention completely on another. There was a boy laying next to her, but he was unconscious. Was he drowning, too? Lenalee looked up. The woman must have saved them. She didn't know how they got there, but she'd saved them both.

There was something wrong, however. The woman was shaking, not from the cold, but from something else. Her hands were on his chest, and her body shook unhealthily.

"Er, Ma'am?" Lenalee tried, finding her voice hard to use, "What happened?" She coughed again, finding more water in her throat. The woman's already pale complexion was rapidly turning marble. Something wasn't right. Lenalee lurched forward, flinging her arms around the woman and pulling her back from the boy. She gasped, like she'd been freed from a noose, and lay still, hand on her own chest. The woman finally locked eyes with Lenalee, chilling her bones. Her eyes were the same as Tyki's.

Before she could ask any questions, the boy spasmed and his body rolled over. The women looked on has he positioned his head over the water and ejected what could only have been blood and water into the undeserving lake lapping innocently at the stones around them. Lenalee stiffened as a bird came hopping from somewhere behind them, seemingly very worried about the boy.

"Tim, thank you," the boy wheezed. "You saved our lives." The bird cawed in response. It was then she noticed the bird's condition, and she felt sick all over again.

The strange woman saw Lenalee's reaction and smiled at her expense. But it was short-lived, and her attention returned intently to the boy in front of them.  
"You've been a naughty boy, haven't you, Nea?" the woman asked. The boy shook a moment, and Lenalee feared he would vomit again, until she heard his laughter.

"Good to see you again, Lulu. I trust you've been well?"

"Better off than you," the woman, Lulu, responded none too kindly, "You are poisoned, my dear."

"Right. Nasty work, that."

"Can either of you explain what's going on?" Lenalee spoke up helplessly, turning three sets of eyes on her. The crow made an ugly sound at her, and Lenalee frowned. "Besides the zombie bird?" It bristled its feathers, taking offence to the comment. Lenalee winced.

"I would like to know the same," Lulu said, a pointed look at the boy. He sat up against the rock, straightening out his clothes. Lenalee started when he made a strange motion with his hands, and she was no longer drenched in lake water. In fact, she was quite dry and warm. Though she was thankful for it, she found herself skeptical of his magic. She'd seen Cross use the same spell in the past. It must have been a common spell among magic-users. Right?

"There's quite a lot to explain, though," he whined. Lulu narrowed her eyes at him dangerously. "Alright, fine. Devil woman."

The boy coughed into his hand again, quickly wiping away the blood. She was a little worried for him. As if sensing this, he said, "Don't worry. It won't kill me." It wasn't comforting. He looked up, eying both of them in turn.

"Lulu, your life is in danger," he began, then added, "And so is yours, Lenalee."

"Do I know you, even?" Lenalee inquired, whilst Lulu glared at him in silence.

"You do- well, I mean, that is, I know you. You wouldn't remember me, that's right..." the boy almost seemed like he was talking to himself, muttering the last thought at the dirt. "I'm Allen. Please, I'll explain later. There's a much, much more pressing matter at hand right now, believe me." Allen held up his hands, as if trying to bat away all of her unasked questions. Lenalee knit her brows, trying to summon her patience. Years of training in nobility taught her always to hear things out, even if they were bat shit insane.

"Where is Nea?" Lulu asked suddenly, as if surprised Nea wasn't there. Lenalee felt like their conversation was being held in a glass box, and she was sitting on the outside of it. Nea seemed to be a rather important person, as she'd heard his name mentioned before. Yet, she still had no idea who he was.

"Dead," Allen answered gravely, his voice almost a whisper. Lulu inhaled sharply, her eyes growing even icier.

"Listen to me Lulu," Allen pleaded, "The others are dead. All of them. You're the only one left, and you've got one of the most valuable mantles among us. He will kill you, if he finds you."

"He? Of whom do you speak?" Lulu asked, no tone of jest in her voice. Lenalee wanted to know, too. Allen hesitated.

"Tyki," he finally said. Lulu closed her eyes, as if expecting the answer, but Lenalee, finally understanding, leaned in.

"Hang on just a moment!" She said, drawing Allen's attention, "Demons. He's killing demons, but he is one himself, right? What does he gain by doing that? And he said... he said he didn't kill her..."

Allen's expression softened in sympathy. "I'm sorry, but he lied to you. He's killing them for their power. There are only so many of them... of, well, us," he glanced at Lulu briefly. "He wants to kill me, in order to be the one and only disciple of Millennium. And, I fear, worse." He paused, digging around in his coat pocket. The white-haired boy pulled a pocket watch, its face falling open. It was broken, but Allen frowned deeply.

"Out of time," Allen's voice cracked, startling both women with an almost manic crackle of laughter. He focused very intently on his fingers, speaking to himself as if he was alone. "Lavi told me to keep her safe-!"

" _Lavi?!_ " Lenalee squawked, most unlady-like, her hands trembling. Hope filled her lungs and left her out of breath in an instant. Was it possible that Lavi was still alive? She fell toward Allen, grasping at his lapels. "He's alive?!"

"I shouldn't have said that," Allen bemoaned.

"Where is he?!" Lenalee shook him. She couldn't believe it. She thought he was dead. She'd gone all this time thinking he was dead...

Just then, there was a crashing of foliage behind them, birds scattering with a twittering alarm. The crow clicked its beak at its kin, even going so far as to leap in the air and attempt to follow. It made it a couple of yards over the lake before it was thwarted by a rogue gust and sent into the shallows.

Lulu stood, alert. Allen didn't move from his spot, reacting in much the opposite manner. He remained where he was, an almost crazed look in his eyes, Lenalee poised over the front of him, hanging on to his shirt.

A cyan flare shot out from the treeline, aimed at Allen. It was deflected almost without effort, water siphoning from the lake to extinguish the firebolt. As Allen raised his eyes, fog began rolling in from across the water, the temperature dropping significantly. Lulu risked a glance back at Lenalee and Allen, then, before the danger could escalate, she melted into the form of the old cat again, and disappeared into the encroaching mist.

Lenalee didn't dare chase her, for it was then that Cross emerged from the trees, his hand outstretched before him. Allen looked up at her.

"No good. I can't very well fight him like this. Not with Tyki's venom still keeping me down," he said quietly, and, completely beyond Lenalee's understanding, he smiled. "This may be it for me!"

"Allen!" Cross bellowed, firing off another bolt. Allen deflected it again, and this time, Lenalee felt the steam blast her skin. The Magister's eyes fell on Lenalee, and with his other hand, beckoned her forward. She didn't need to even get up, because she was jolted forward by an invisible force, and soon found herself with Cross's arm wrapped protectively around her.

"You just love getting in trouble, kid," Cross growled at her, his eyes never leaving Allen. Lenalee struggled in his grip.

"Wait, Cross!" she finally broke free, much to Cross's chagrin. "He saved my life! Don't hurt him!"

"You have no idea what you're talking about," the Magister groused.

"But-!"

" _Get back!_ " he shouted, throwing his arm out behind him, as a wave of energy came barreling across the threshold between them. Lenalee fell to the cold ground, lifting her head again only to see that the fog had fallen down thick, and now, all she could see of Cross was his faint silhouette.

"Cross!" she shouted into the mist, but her cries went unheard when their duel transformed into a clash of bright flashes orchestrated by the crackle and boom of their attacks colliding. She pushed herself off of the ground, intending to reenter, but she was hauled back by the arm.

"Lady Lee," came a voice from above. She looked up, and was very surprised to see Lord Kanda, reaching forward for her. "We need to leave, we'll explain on the way."

But she was petrified. Lord Kanda was sitting atop a large red dragon, its beastly gaze fixed intently on her. It was the same dragon that had kidnapped her in the first place. The same one. Her eyes glazed over. It was as if the fog spilled into her mind as Kanda hoisted her up with him, and they took off.

The wind whipped at her hair, blowing away any previous doubt. One thought took hold of her, and she reached for her boot. He was saying something, but his words buzzed in her ears. Something about doing wrong, something about jealousy. Something about her fiancé. She could hear none of it as the one singular thought rang in her head:  **KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL**

Like whispers reverberating in an empty hallway, the word repeated itself over and over until it sounded like a one syllable chorus of madness. She wanted it to stop, but she knew like an instinct that the only way to make it stop was to obey. Her fingers coiled around the shiny black blade, withdrawing it from its hidden sheath. She laid down on her stomach, her arms reaching on either side of the dragon's scaly neck. She could feel its powerful heartbeat as it worked to overpower the sky.

She plunged the blade deep into its neck, and it spasmed wildly as they dropped from the sky. Sight and sound rushed back to her in an instant, and she could hear Lord Kanda's very panicked voice behind her as they crashed. The fall was short-lived, as they hadn't gone very far, but the impact was still enough to throw them both from the beast.

Her head felt like it could explode. The sudden return of her senses invited a sharp ringing in her ears, and all she could do was lift herself up, hands shaking. Kanda rolled onto his side, sitting up and fixing his eyes on Lenalee.

"Are you hurt?" was his immediate question, but his head turned to somewhere behind her, and he gasped, a troubled look on his face. She turned away from Lord Kanda, only to see Lavi's nude body limp in the mud. She wanted to run to his side, but all she could do was shake uncontrollably. It was Kanda who finally found his feet, staggering with increasing haste to where Lavi lay, his blazing red hair almost indistinguishable from the blood pooling around his neck.

Tears caught in her eyes as the memory of what she just did came rushing back, and the pieces all fell together in a painful clarity. That dragon was somehow him. And just when she found him, alive, now, she wasn't sure if he was. Her lips quivered, wanting to call out but unable to find her voice. Her hands shook. She'd done this. How could she let herself do this? Her sorrow gave way to a primal anger. No, Tyki made her do it.

All attempts to act a proper woman left her instantly, her warring emotions erupting from her in an agonised howl. She peeled her eyes away from the grim scene before her, finding the concentrated fog, where Cross and Allen were still locked in their duel. How could they continue while someone was hurt? He was so badly hurt. She didn't even want answers anymore. Nothing mattered.

She stood, still shaking, and marched forward, passing Lord Kanda. She couldn't bare to look at them, especially not now.

"No!" Kanda reached for her arm, but she bat him away sharply and continued. Her march turned into a run, and she charged into the fray. Inside the fog, Cross had Allen backed into a corner, surrounded by a ring of his roaring blue fire. Cross was chanting something in his strange language, but he was forced to stop when Lenalee's fist collided in his teeth. He faltered a moment, but successfully kept his arm up, holding Allen's prison.

"Cross," she flogged, standing at her full height next to him, unafraid of the danger around her. Cross did a double take when he saw her, his other arm flying up to wipe the blood from his mouth where she'd slammed it.

"I told those idiots to get you to safety!" Cross barked back.

"Quit this! Lavi is...! He's..!" she was suddenly finding it very hard to talk, the head strong moment gone, her throat closing up.

"Yes! He's a fucking dragon! I'm sorry I didn't have time to tell you the long, very complicated account of how it happened!" Cross said, very irritated now. Allen was standing stock still, seeming to catch on to the situation much quicker than Cross was. The boy shot the Magister a severe look.

Kanda came into view, carrying Lavi's limp form, and saving Lenalee from having to say it aloud. Allen froze, taking in his grisly-looking state. Lavi's neck was ravaged, the skin around his wound blackened and veiny. Cross's own eyes widened, his arm faltering, as if unsure anymore which of his attentions was more important.

"He's still breathing," Kanda said numbly, "But he's fading quickly. Cross..."

"I cannot allow Allen to get away, I ca-!"

"He needs you!" Lenalee snapped desperately. Cross groaned loudly. Allen seemed to find it best to remain silent. Cross glared murderously in the boy's direction, then took a step back, and lowered his arm. Allen's prison fell, leaving a scorched ring where it once was.

"Your luck is toxic, Walker," Cross spat at him, before backing away and taking both Kanda and Lenalee by the arms. "Do not follow me."

Allen turned his eyes on Lenalee, ignoring the venom spilling from Cross's lips.

"Twenty four hours," Allen called to Lenalee, "Tell him, if he survives. Twenty four hours!"

But they were gone. Cross had yanked them, all four of them, through the ley line. The fog surrounding the area slowly crept back into the shore. Allen picked himself up, still weak from the poison, even weaker still from Cross's relentless assault. He staggered to his feet, lifting his head. He walked along the shore line, his boots splashing into the lapping waves with an uneven gait. Something was glinting in the sand up ahead, and he feared he knew what it was.

The object, he realised as he approached it, was a weapon. He sunk ungraciously to his knees, observing the blade as its black surface seemed to roil like moving shadows under the water.

"Sneaky bastard," Allen said quietly, smiling in spite of himself. He picked up the weapon gingerly, tearing the fabric from his sleeve to wrap the blade. It may prove useful later, assuming he had enough time to lick his wounds before Tyki did. He stowed it away, and, knowing that Tyki would very likely come to retrieve it, felt for the ley line. Allen feared that Lulu was in grave danger, but, she had made her choice, and was beyond his help now. He knew, without a doubt in his mind, that Lenalee and Lavi would be safe in Cross's custody. That, at least, he could rest easy knowing. His job was not yet concluded, but, it would be soon. Allen whistled, beckoning the hobbling body of his familiar to him, and when the bird landed safely on his shoulder, they abandoned the scene.


	9. The Ghost in the Mirror

"You're doing it again," Road's bored voice broke the silence in the room. He'd constructed it hastily within a tiny grotto he'd located some few miles away from the lake, where he'd gotten frustratingly close to cornering his nemesis. Tyki paced up and down the stone floor, covered by a magnificent carpet. He'd started the room out with some very basic furniture, but had since pushed it up against the wall. The grotto was lit dimly by a fireplace, dug out of the stone wall and decorated by a handsome mirror. He'd been inspecting his wounds when the image of Road appeared inside of it, and began to talk to him. Of course, all of this he would dispose of, and he would leave this place in much the same state as he'd found it in. It was a useful talent, to be certain, but nothing he made was ever truly real.

"Doing what?" Tyki snapped. If it was meant to startle the young girl, she was completely unmoved.

"Brooding," she answered. "Or did you forget? I'm a part of your mind, now, you know."

"You're not even real," he responded, sulkily, "I'm talking to myself. Look what you've done to me."

"What I've done?" Road questioned him, still showing no change in her calm demeanour, "Are you suggesting I did this to myself?"

"You're not real," Tyki repeated, turning away from the mirror, as if doing so would make it stop.

"I'm as real as you make me," Road reminded him. "Like the others," she stepped aside, and more figures began to enter the mirror. Tyki dared to look. The twins appeared on either side of her, their once cheery faces lacking emotion. The hulking figure of Skin Boric stepped into view, staring back at Tyki with cold eyes.

"Leave me alone," he commanded, turning away from the mirror again, to the forgiving emptiness of his grotto. Physically, he was alone. He'd been alone for a long, long time. The very thought made his heart ache, or, he supposed, what was left of it.

"Please, Tyki," the voice came again from behind him, but it was not Road's, nor did it belong to the twins or Boric. He shook. He stood directly before the fire, yet his skin felt ice cold.

"No," he answered, swallowing.

"Please," the voice repeated.

"I said no!" Tyki spun, his fist colliding with the mirror, shattering it, but not before he caught a glimpse of her. He didn't need to look long to memorise her every feature. Her haunted eyes were burned in his memory forever. Tyki pulled his fist back, now bloodied like the rest of him, but it didn't hurt. None of his wounds caused him pain. No pain could compare to the pain he felt in the pit of his soul.

Breathing heavily, he forced himself to stand, kicking aside the broken shards into the corner of the room. He turned his attention upwards. A body was suspended upside down, slowly revolving as if held fast by an invisible rope. It was, once, a very beautiful woman. Now, her eyes were deflated and her skin had taken on a sickening bluish colour. Tyki raised his arms, the body slowly descending until he could run his fingers through her wispy hair.

"Forgive me," he said, knowing she wouldn't hear him where she was. His hands wrapped around her skull, and his grip tightened as the body began to spasm. It seemed to be rapidly dehydrating as Tyki's complexion took on the colour of spoiled blood. All the while, his wounds closed and he seemed to stand a little taller as the body shrank into a withered husk.

He released it, and the body crumpled to the floor as mere bones, crumbling at his feet. Tyki rolled his shoulders, closing his eyes. He could not necessarily heal his wounds, but one of the many perks with his mantle was being able to repair a construct, not just create them. He couldn't create something from nothing, however, and in order to mend flesh and bone, he needed to deconstruct flesh and bone.

He felt renewed, invigorated, and bloodthirsty. The only reason he'd not yet destroyed the Shepherd was due to his own failures thus far. He needed a better plan. He needed to get smart. He wanted this badly, more than anything else in the world, and there was only one way to attain it. He needed the Shepherd's power. Nea, or, Allen, it now was, had the power of a god at his fingertips. And what did he use it for? To bring back his pet?

Tyki swallowed his rage, trying very hard to concentrate on a way forward. He'd gambled a lot on the girl, giving her one of his most prized tools. With both his Mark, and the enforcement of Road's hypnosis, she would surely not fail him. Would she? Tyki was nervous. He'd put on an act of confidence, but the truth was, he had no idea if he'd done the deed correctly. He began to pace again, this time, without Road's commentary. He'd made certain that Walker wouldn't follow him. He'd hit him with enough of Fiidora's venom that he could possibly have drowned. The thought sickened Tyki. If that had happened...

Growing more nervous by the minute, Tyki's pacing became an aggravated march. He couldn't linger here. It was a small, paranoid thought niggling at the back of his conscious. Every second he spent waiting was another second he was being plotted against, and he couldn't afford that. He had  _everything_  to lose.

He turned, throwing his energies into the room. The furniture began to melt away, forming itself into the natural stone surrounding him. The ornate rug fizzled and dissolved into a resin under his feet, and the makeshift hearth receded into the wall, leaving the hungry fire to slowly die out. Tyki pulled on the very thin stretch of ley line that reached down under the earth, and his form winked out, leaving the cave exactly how he'd found it.

He reappeared at the shoreline, not too far from where he'd parted ways with Allen. His piercing eyes searched warily, but finding no sign of life, he pressed on. He was like a wolf, a predator, but he was nervous. Matters had become far too delicate for him to fail another time.

He could sense the remnants of magic used here, both demonic and benign, but it had been some time, and their users were long gone. He felt around the ley lines in the area, trying to taste the signature of anyone that had used them recently, but the traces were faded now, and he only sensed his own. Pity. He wondered where such a trace would take him. Westreach, perhaps? It was very likely. It had been many years since he last found himself within those poorly guarded walls. He was a very different man back then- a happy one, even. But weak.

"Once again, brooding," Road drawled. Tyki grit his teeth. Where had she come from? "Brooding, always brooding."

"Why must you torment me?" Tyki said, looking away from her. She wasn't real. She  _wasn't_. Road tilted her head, frowning.

"Did you think wielding my mantle was a simple matter?" She quizzed him, giving the man pause. "Did you think a mantle lording over the mind such as mine does could be so easily ignored? Conjured only of convenience?"

"Are you trying to tell me-,"

"No, still technically all you," Road said, cutting off his question, which she anticipated. "But I exist in your mind entirely. The one thing you can never run away from. You cannot so easily 'kill' me when the very thought of me keeps me alive."

"Then I command you to be silent," Tyki growled. "You're not helping. You don't understand what is at stake here." Road giggled tauntingly.

"Oh, but I do!" She said, as if it made all the sense in the world. "It's so easy, bonded together now as we are."

Her image shimmered, materialising in front of him. He flinched at her sudden appearance, but made no move to stop her as her small, dark hand came to rest on his cheek. It was a very gentle motion, almost motherly. She looked up at him, and Tyki shut his eyes tightly as she forced his memories to surface.

"You used to be such a loving man," Road observed, her goat-slitted eyes seeming to look past him, "What happened to you?"

Suddenly, they were no longer standing at the shoreline. Road turned as the sunlight surrounded them in no promised warmth. Tyki opened his eyes, taking in the scene. Road watched him look around, bewildered.

"What is this? Where are we? What did you do?" Tyki demanded, not entirely comfortable, but feeling no danger, either. Road shrugged.

"I have no idea. I thought you could tell me."

They were in Westreach. It was high noon, if the chiming of the great clock were to be believed. Children chased one another in the streets, while busy workers went about their chores, many hauling carts full of straw or produce to and fro. The market was abuzz with trade in the street feeding downtown, but they stood instead in the busy square, dominated by a modest chapel with a bell tower, currently settling down as the bellboy descended.

Tyki emerged from the market with long strides, carrying what looked like a basket of assorted flowers, some herbs, and a sad-looking loaf of bread. He was dressed like any commoner, in long, dark trousers and a loosely hemmed shirt resembling what might have once been a potato sack. He certainly looked much younger, mid-twenties, perhaps. Tyki passed them, fading through them like a ghost as he entered the chapel. They followed.

The inside of the chapel was rather dark, dimly lit by a few candles and what little light penetrated the dreck-filled windows. There were some pigeons occupying the upper rafters, littering the floor with their feces and lost feathers. Tyki heard their talons scraping the dried wood above as they watched his ghost with greedy little eyes. Ghost Tyki entered a back room, even dimmer still. It was much warmer in this room, but coupled with the smell it was easy to tell that the warmth was from fever.

Ghost Tyki knelt next to a cot which was pushed against the wall, laid with long-flattened straw and a sheet that may have once been white, but had changed colour due to sweat and sick. It wasn't a comfortable-looking setup, but since the rest of the room was just cold stone, it was the only place to lay down for the sick person atop it.

The small loaf of bread was withdrawn from the basket and laid on top of the cot.

"Eat," Ghost Tyki commanded, but not in a harsh tone. The person on the cot didn't move. Concerned, Tyki nudged them with his hand. The bread was knocked away. He frowned. "Please," he picked it up, setting it back where it was, "You're weak. You need to-!"

The person pulled the sheet down, turning over. She was pale with her illness, her long, dark hair sticking to her face. Her hands were bony, suggesting she was malnourished. It was clear she was running a high fever. A towel lay on the floor, still wet, but like the bread had been knocked away. The woman, despite her pitiful state, was looking at Tyki fondly, and managed a small smile. Her bright, amber eyes stood out against her sallow cheeks.

"You've been working so hard," she said, gently. Tyki had to pause his activities to even hear her. "Why don't you eat? You need nourishment, too."

"Don't be daft," Tyki took the bread and broke off a piece, "I'm fine. I can work all day long, I'm fit." He pushed it to her lips.

Her expression grew weary.

"I'm not getting any better," she said, sounding tired.

"I bought herbs today from Zuu Mei, and he's instructed me in a better method," Tyki continued, trying to change the subject, "I'm going back to the governor's estate later, to negotiate."

"If you didn't have to care for me, you could afford to-!"

"Don't talk like that," Tyki cut her off, having given up offering her food and now attempting to force feed her. "You are everything to me. You're going to recover. I'll make the governor see reason. I'll get our farm back. Things will go back to the way they were, and we'll raise a couple lads and grow old. Remember when you said that? It was a promise."

"I was cracked in the head when I said that, wasn't I?" she chuckled softly, but Tyki didn't find it funny.

"That's enough," The scene faded as black smoke rolled in around them, shrouding everything in a dark cloud. Tyki was staring down, his eyes shut tightly. "The past is the past. Buried. Leave me!"

At his command, he opened his eyes. Road was gone, and the calm of the twilight surrounded him once more. Tyki breathed the evening air deeply, releasing a sigh, and gathered his mind again. That memory felt so real. Was he going mad? His demonic eyes scanned the dirt, noting the spots where it was blackened and despoiled. Blood had been shed here. But the knife... she ought to have left it. Where was it? His eyes gave in to a nervous twitch. Something had gone wrong. Somehow, there was a hole in his plan. Were his instructions unclear?

A soft  _meow_  broke him away from his paranoid thoughts. A mangy old cat had somehow slipped his notice, and it was now threading between his legs, tail held high, pressing its body into his shins. He could feel the inner rumble of a purr drumming in his bones. He simply stared down at the cat, and when it finally paused to return his gaze, there was a knowing sort of look between them.

"I've spoken with the Shepherd," the cat said, sitting on her haunches, calmly, "He says you will kill me." The stark and calm acknowledgement of this information was striking to him, so Tyki found himself unable to answer right away. But the cat continued, unconcerned with his thoughts on the matter. "I'm not here to put up a fight. My body is old and broken. Death would be a welcome release, knowing the master is to return. I no longer live to safeguard my mantle."

The cat then tilted her head, quizzically.

"But there is one thing, I ask, in return. Would you indulge me, my dear friend?"

Tyki nodded, numbly. Somehow, she made him feel a bit guilty about it, whereas he may not have felt anything if he'd found her first.

"On the night I manifested," she began, and Tyki clutched tightly at nothing, his hands balling, "I sensed distress. I felt it was my duty to investigate. I found that the distress had been coming from none other than Nea, but when I tried to intervene I was thwarted. Bound to this body," the cat's tail swished in distaste, "But you, you were there. Was it you, Tyki? Did you summon him?"

Tyki's fists balled tighter. The answer was far more complex than what she thought. He'd done so out of revenge, not out of a desire to meet his dark lord. How could he possibly explain the truth? He would lie. He could only lie. What did it matter to her, anyway?

"Yes," he said, after a pause. "Blood sacrifice." The cat blinked wisely, as if nodding in approval.

"I expected as much," she said, and after another thoughtful pause, she added, "I have a theory, my friend. It is blasphemous, but if I weren't on Death's door, I'd keep it buried in my thoughts." Now Tyki raised his brows. She had his attention.

"Do speak," he invited her. She pounced onto a rock, more so to rest her neck than anything. She settled comfortably, paws tucked under her body like a fuzzy loaf. Now almost eye to eye with him, she continued.

"It is buried deep into our ancestral memories, the birth of the first Incarnate. We don't remember it ourselves, but we know one thing is true- the Shepherd acts as both jailor and retainer to Millennium. We know that the first Incarnate was born upon the day of the banishment. We know that his jailor was the Magister, Mana. I ask you, do you believe that Mana was perhaps, the first Shepherd, as well?"

Tyki took a moment to digest the information. Lulu raised a fair question. He'd never considered it, but it was possible that Mana and the Shepherd were once one and the same.

"That might be possible," Tyki relented, now curious about what she might be working towards. The cat blinked slowly, again.

"But how could that be," Lulu asked, "If the Shepherd calls himself Nea? For eons the Shepherd has deemed himself Nea- not Mana. Our names are etched onto our magical signatures. "

"What are you suggesting?" Tyki pressed.

"That Nea and the Shepherd are two different entities," Lulu said, as if it were simple. Tyki took a step back. He tried to digest the information, but was finding it tough.

"Perhaps the Shepherd of us Incarnates inherits his mantle differently than we do," she plowed on, ignoring his disbelief, "Do you recall, when the Grand Magister took in his apprentice, it was under the qualification that he was descended of an ancient line of powerful Magisters himself?"

"A descendent of Mana, you mean," Tyki clued in, pieces seeming to fall together in his mind. The cat blinked in approval again.

"A descendent of the Shepherd," she clarified. Tyki's skin felt very cold when the enormity of what she was suggesting finally sunk in.

"Do you think, Nea only seeks out the descendants of the Shepherd?"

"Perhaps," Lulu said, her claws kneading at the rock with awful little scratching sounds. "But we haven't even touched on the blasphemy, yet. Do you recall the moment Nea went silent?"

"The summoning," Tyki almost whispered the words, "Yes, I remember."

"I believe Nea is not dead," she said, a soft purr accentuating her words, "Simply put, I believe he no longer had reason to communicate with the Shepherd once the Ark was cast."

Her words hit him like a brick in the back of the neck. She couldn't be saying that Nea was... It made a lot of sense. But was it true? Lulu didn't seem so sure of it herself. After all, she'd introduced it as a theory. But if it were any bit true... how much did it change? Questions raced through his head as the cat rolled onto her back. Could he really sap the Shepherd's mantle if it wasn't even his own?

"Enough of my conspiracies," Lulu yawned. Her age was showing, the frame of her feline self so bony and matted she looked like she'd crawled out of a cistern. "You wanted to put an end to me, no? I'm certain my mantle will be of far more use to you. I've done nothing but hide, and observe, think... for twenty years. For a cat, that is an age. Next time, I shall find a much more suitable host."

He was looking at a beautiful woman now, her dark hair falling in black cascades down the rock she laid upon. Her chest was bare and looked warm in the setting sun, forming a shadowed valley leading toward her neck. But in her eyes there was a sadness. Tyki shuddered. She looked so much like her. Did she do this intentionally? It was a cruel trick. Lulu's hand extended and cupped his cheek.

"You have a purpose. I do not know what it is, if it is benign or malign. But it drives you. I hadn't a purpose before, but now, I know what I must do," she said, not moving her hand. A tear edged at her own cheek. "Goodbye, my dear friend. Until we meet again, in another life."

She was gone. Tyki felt a surge of power fill him, his dark skin rippling with its newfound ability, as if trying to break it in. He breathed in harshly, then looked down at the rock. The old cat lay unmoving, its eyes shut in peaceful slumber. Of all the Incarnates, Lulubell was his only friend. And even she had been dealt cruel hands. He felt for her, but knew that he must remain true to his purpose, now more than ever.

He cradled the cat's tiny body in his arms, feeling slightly disgusted with himself. He felt a duty to dispose of the body in dignity, out of mere respect for his fallen comrade. He constructed a pyre on the shore from the rotting bark jutting out from the forest's edge. There was a small platform at the top, just large enough to fit her comfortably. When he set her down, she looked like she was only sleeping.

With just a word, the pyre burst into flame.

"You have done me a great service, friend," he said, it seemed, to nobody.

* * *

The throbbing in Lavi's head was unreal. His eyes opened slowly to find that he was quite alone, and the room was dark, but homely. Indoors. And he was in a bed. It was thankfully warm, and the bed sheets were very comfortable. It had seemed like forever since he'd rested this well. There was muffled shouting outside of the room, but it seemed very far away, and so he found himself unconcerned for the moment.

He lay there a moment in blissful grogginess before the realisation hit him that he had five fingers, not five claws, and that not a single part of his body felt scaly. He almost shouted in pure joy, but only a raspy croak emerged. A sharp pain punished his effort, and he lay there as still as possible in hopes that the pain would fade again. Finding it impossible to will the throbbing in his head away, he tried to think back to the events leading up to his current situation.

They had tracked Lenalee down by following his trail of destruction, and when Cross left them to confront Allen alone, he'd instructed him and Kanda to secure Lenalee and bring her home. Only, they hadn't made it far at all. He couldn't remember past the moment they took off. In all but a second, there was something sharp in his neck, and it felt as if it were  _drinking_  his very blood. A thought entered his mind with a hot fury. Had Kanda tried to have him killed again? Where was the son of a bitch now? After everything they had been through...

The door opened, and a pan of water clattered on the floor. A mousy-looking servant girl stood utterly startled in the doorway. Lavi tried to turn his head to see her better, as she stood on his blind side, but the motion caused him pain, and another muted sound trembled from his lips.

"I-I'm sorry, milord," she stammered, bending to pick up the object she'd dropped. "I d-didn't know you were awake. The mistress will want to know you've awakened. She said, 'At once.'"

The mistress? Lenalee? Was she here? His worries eased. He wanted to know where she was, but the girl had already left, almost tripping over her own dainty feet on the way out. He expected she was going to fetch Lenalee. With the information he'd thus far gathered, it was safe to say he was in the Estate in Westreach. Mustering his strength, Lavi sat up, finding the throbbing in his head and neck now bearable. The shifting of his position brought attention to the carefully wrapped dressings around his neck. He wanted to know how bad it looked, but there was no way to look at it in this room, as there was no mirror. He hoped it didn't look as bad as it felt.

He was embarrassed to find that someone had dressed him. They were more or less pyjamas, but they did the job. He wasn't overly interested in how he presented himself to anyone, so long as he was clothed. The shouting in the hall escalated, and he wanted to find out what had them in an uproar.

His movements were slow and deliberate, but he found that if he kept his head level, he could move. So he walked with an unusual gait, following the voices. He ran into nobody in the hall, something he found himself somewhat thankful for. It was becoming more and more apparent that the sounds were coming from the council chamber, and that there were several gentlemen seated within. He recognised voices from not only the council of Fort Honning, but from local and surrounding councilmen as well. That didn't bode well. The only time they ever gathered like this was when something big was happening. Something not good.

He stood outside of the main chamber doors, the voices all too clear now without even having to enter. So he listened.

"Have you gone completely mad, chancellor? The Magister failed. He ought to be chained immediately-!"

" _Chained?_ " came an indignant snort. He did not know to whom it belonged to. "A whole lot of good that will do you! Unless you're fishing for a vote from the disgruntled citizen, as always! Must I remind you we are gathered here to  _solve_  the problem?"

"Our Lady is safe," a sensible female voice cut over the two men, "We must evacuate her, as well as all of Westreach. We cannot risk our people's lives."

"Our militia will fight!" Insisted another man, and this time, Lavi recognised the Captain of the Guard, Howard Link. "We will not allow our homes to fall without resistance." There were murmurs of agreement.

"You're a fool, Link," a cool, female voice said, "Your men stand no chance against this kind of enemy. Stand down. Do the smart thing and evacuate your citizens."

"Listen to Klaud," Cross's voice finally pitched in, and there were murmurs around the room again. He didn't seem to be very welcome here, and Lavi could only guess why. He was surprised, however, that Klaud had made an appearance. The matter had to be serious if she'd travelled all the way from Aurora in the north. She herself was a very well-known Magister.

A door nearby opened, another portal that paralleled the council chamber. It was Lenalee. Lavi's head turned, and despite the pain, his relief to see her was unmeasurable. Lenalee seemed very surprised to see him, but rushed to his side and encased him in a gentle, but very sincere hug.

"What are you doing out of your bed, idiot?" she was crying, and her wet eyes rubbed into his shoulder. "Come on, you need to lay down."

Lavi didn't resist. He wanted badly to know what they were discussing in that chamber, exactly, but his desire and happiness to see Lenalee was far more important to him at that moment. She led him back to the room he'd awoken in, hand in hand, as if afraid he would collapse. And he did, when he reached the bed. Lenalee pulled up a chair nearby him.

"I- We- Have a lot to discuss. And I don't know where to begin." Lavi frowned, but agreed. He pointed to his throat, and made a cancelling gesture with his hand.

"You can't talk?" Lenalee guessed, almost sighing. Lavi acknowledged her with a half-smile.

"Very well. Then I will tell you everything I know," she said. "But first I..." Her hand found his, and she squeezed it tightly. "This whole mess. I thought I'd lost you." Her tears fell anew. Lavi reached up and wiped them from her eyes, giving her a warm smile.

"Ah," she sniffed. "Lavi, there's a lot to say, and not much time."

"Cross has ordered the evacuation of Westreach," Lenalee began, "But in doing so, he's been forced to explain to the council his reasons. They've been arguing for hours." She glanced wistfully back at the doorway, the sounds still carrying down the halls. "Kanda received a message hawk containing a warning that the city would soon be in danger. Lavi he said- Allen said you needed to hear- 'twenty four hours.' I'm sorry, I don't know what he meant by it. I wish you could- wait," Lenalee paused mid-thought and opened a bedside drawer, rifling around in its contents. Unsatisfied, she moved across the room and continued her search, until she made a noise of success and returned to Lavi's side with paper and quill in hand.

"Short answers, alright?" Lenalee said, handing him the quill after dipping it lightly in a spent inkwell she'd found. She was a sharp woman, but Lavi lamented that no answer was simple enough to be a considerably 'short' one.

"Cross told me what happened, after we brought you here. He said you were hit by a curse, which would have killed you, but it rebounded and you somehow ended up in that.. beastly form. But why... why did you come back? You know Cross would have had you killed."

He scribbled:  _Kanda_

"You wanted revenge," Lenalee deduced levelly, and Lavi nodded gently. Her almond eyes cast downward. "We both thought you were dead, Lavi," she said, almost so quietly he couldn't hear it.

 _Plotted my death,_  he wrote shakily.

"It's not important right now, Lavi. We must continue. Any minute now they may have us leave. You spent time with Allen. What did he tell you?"

Another question, Lavi feared, would be impossible to answer in full. He considered how to best sum it up, but couldn't decide on what information was the most important. So, Lavi began to scratch a few lines at a time.

_Allen is a demon, but a good demon,_

_There are others, but malign_

_Millennium, their patron, was summoned_

_Allen wishes to kill it_

Lenalee absorbed his words with an understanding he didn't expect. She glanced at his wound with a certain guilt.

"I've met three of these demons, four, if you count Allen. Their names are Road, Lulu, and Tyki," Lenalee said slowly, "But Tyki killed Road. Lulu was still alive, last I saw her. But we lost her when we met up with you, Cross, and Kanda. Lavi, I..."

She took a deep breath, then unlaced one of her boots and began to remove it. Lavi watched her, puzzled. She removed the lining and scrutinised her ankles closely. She sighed in relief.

"Tyki gave me his mark- demon magic," she explained, sounding sad. Her lips quivered, "He wanted me to kill you. There was nothing I could do, Lavi I'm so sorry, I- I was under a spell, but it was so wrong-!"

Lavi sat up and pulled her into his arms as she let loose a sob. He could tell she was hurting terribly inside, but somehow, he understood. His anger subsided. So it wasn't Kanda, after all.

"It's gone?" he guessed, his voice scratchy and painful to use.

"It is," Lenalee affirmed. "But now you're hurt."

"I'm still alive," Lavi assured her, smiling despite himself. He picked up the quill again, tired of speaking, and scribbled,

_We both are._

"Cross has said the wound was magical in nature," Lenalee sniffed, attempting to get back on subject. She pulled away from Lavi only slightly and wiped her red eyes with her sleeve. "He was able to remove the curse from it, but something was taken from you, and we fear Tyki might have it. It was a special blade, Lavi. I don't know what it did."

 _Sapped my blood, that's why I changed back,_  Lavi wrote.

"How do you know that?" Lenalee asked.

 _Special properties in blood, fascinating, explain later,_  Lavi wrote quickly. Then he gave himself pause. Why did that demon want his blood, specifically? Allen had told him that only his line could truly kill Millennium, but was it  _because_  of his blood- literally? That seemed bizarre, but it didn't at all sound like an impossible concept. The cogs in his mind started to turn as he realised that Allen never did tell him exactly  _how_  he was different when fighting a demon. He could absorb their spells, to an extent, but that didn't kill them, did it?

 _Books,_  Lavi hastily wrote,  _Need books. Anything on demons. Demon hunters. Anything. Important._

"Lavi!" Lenalee frowned, "They are  _evacuating_  Westreach! There's no time to read books!"

 _There is,_  Lavi gave her an urging expression. Without waiting for her answer, he hauled himself with effort out of the bed again. Lenalee stood.

"You're so stubborn," she said, seriously, "They're not going to let us out of the Estate!" Lavi smiled mischievously at her. She furrowed her brows at him, seeming to find that he'd been unreadable at that moment. "Alright, I'm escorting you, at least," she insisted.

Lavi found it oddly improper that a noblewoman played the role of an escort to a man she outranked, but he knew better than to argue with Lenalee. So, he allowed her to accompany him through a secret exit that lead them through a small garden in the middle of the Estate. How even the Lee family didn't seem to know about it, or refused to acknowledge it, Lavi wasn't certain. But it had proven to be useful in the past, when he'd snuck in visits to the Estate's library collection, small as it was. He'd seen every book the Lees owned, and most were about politics, literature, and tradition. He suspected Cross might have had a private collection of tomes available, but there was no way he dared enter that terrifying man's study. No, he had plenty of books in the Archives, he trusted that. It was just a matter of getting there.

* * *

Allen held his legs close to his chest, eyes wide and staring at the face of the clock. His tower was dark. Only a single candle stood between himself and his pocket watch, and he'd almost burned the entire stick of wax. Normally, he was aware of every little thing around him: every trinket, every spell book, and every jar of animal organs lining the many shelves. There were stacks of tea cups lining the walls, haphazardly sitting on one another in an impossible tilt. There were stairs coiling upward in a tight spiral leading into the pitch black levels above. Along the stairwell were countless scrolls, rolled open to reveal their contents and presumably adhering to the stone with magic. One might call the space cluttered. But none of the items mattered now. His only attention was on the clock.

The hour and minute hand lined one top of one another, both pointing at the twelve. Allen stood, seeming to take his first breath in hours.

"Out of time," he said, but he knew the voice was not his own anymore. His consciousness faded back into his mind. He stood in the Isles, face to face with his master. The being smiled, a terrifying grin.

"I've waited eons," it said. But it said no more. The being vanished. Allen knew then that his fate lie not in his own hands any longer. And he accepted that fact. He hoped his message reached Kanda in time. He hoped the man understood what he needed to do. He hoped that they would understand that he did what he must. Allen sat down again, feeling solemn. He hadn't been entirely honest with anybody. But if he was, would they have helped him? Even Allen himself didn't fully understand it, but he knew human nature; they would kill him outright if they knew Millennium was imprisoned in his mind, Cross had already demonstrated that. But only Allen seemed to understand that killing him wouldn't end the demon once and for all. It had taken him years to find a solution, and he'd gambled everything on it.

All he could do now was sit on the grassy little island in his mind, and wait for a miracle to happen.


	10. Time is a Flat Circle

The unrest in Westreach had become almost palpable, and as Kanda followed Cross outside the estate, he could even feel the panic of the civilians brushing against his skin like a cold, slimy snake. The council had given the order to evacuate less than an hour ago, and already, the city was bursting with activity. He resolved to keep his nerve in check, even as he watched Link's soldiers run past carrying children or elderly, some whom were protesting their relocation. In fact, the more he observed the busy street, the more he noticed that there appeared to be more soldiers present than civilians.

"Your militia is present as well, is it not?" Cross asked, breaking his focus. Kanda nodded in response; indeed, they were. He'd given them sentinel duty in order to give Link's units full attention to the evacuation effort. The militia was posted around the perimeter. Their orders were to alert Howard Link should anybody or anything approach. It was all he could do to assist with the operation on a sweeping scale, and Link had eventually agreed to the assistance.

Cross lit up a cigarette as his own eyes scanned the wall surrounding the city. It was lined by the silhouettes of soldiers, looking like a mural against the orange sky. It was an odd sight because usually the guards posted there were few and far between, and were rarely even standing. But tonight, they were numerous, and on high alert. On the other side of the wall could be heard the desperate rabble of families climbing into the many caravans that had gathered to take them away. Kanda watched a child being carried away by her father, screaming that they had left their dog behind.

"Will they be safe?" Kanda wondered aloud. Cross looked down.

"Not unless we can kill the demon here," was his answer. Kanda looked over at the Magister, alarmed. Cross met his eyes levelly. "If we fail, it'll run rampant. These refugees may be his first target, and there is no question whether they would perish. And from there..." he trailed off, but his meaning was as clear as it was grim. They had no other choice. It must fall. Cross paused.

"Listen- you hear that?" he mumbled. Kanda strained his ears, not at all sure what he was listening for.

"Hear wh-!"

A rumbling sound was growing, and becoming louder by the second. The ground shook violently, sending both of the men to their knees.

"Earthquake?!" Kanda shouted. But they both knew it was no earthquake; that would be too convenient. Kanda heard the screams nearby, but in the confusion and the quickly spreading dust, he was unable to identify the source. The dust was rising in thick clouds, shrouding the sky. The screams were fainter, and, like the eerie fading of a piano string, they stopped. The rumble seemed to calm down, but now sounded closer to grinding dirt. Kanda picked himself up, coughing. The dust in the air was hard to breathe in, and he couldn't even open his eyes fully. He could make out others in his immediate area on the ground like he was, some standing and still attempting to escape the mess.

"Kid! You'd better get over here!" Cross shouted. With effort, he was able to stand, and walked in the direction of Cross's voice, shielding his face from the seemingly endless dust. He found himself stepping over debris on his way, and steeled himself for what he might find when he got there. But, try as he might, he wasn't prepared for what he did find.

They were standing at the mouth of a massive chasm. Half of Westreach was now swimming in an ever-growing sinkhole. Kanda felt sick when he realised that the screams he was listening to was the sounds of people dying, citizens, soldiers, and... and...

"Where is Lenalee?!" Kanda had never heard himself sounding more desperate.

"She was in the estate, she ought to have been evacuated," Cross said, but Kanda sensed the doubt and worry in his voice that told him he wasn't so sure. They weren't afforded any time to act, however, as the sinkhole began moving again. The debris shifted and swirled like a whirlpool. Houses, street, and foliage was dragged to the centre and pulled down, only to reemerge. The men both stepped back as something began to rise from the sinkhole. The debris that had only moments ago disappeared under the shifting dirt was now reforming into something else. Something almost humanoid.

"That son of a bitch," Cross snarled dangerously. "Go, find them," he ordered Kanda. Kanda stood, transfixed on the monster that was forming in the rubble and fresh carcasses of the city. It was sickening to watch, and he instinctively took a step back as the thing writhed in the centre of it all.

"Magister!" called a woman from across the chasm. They both searched through the dust, and found that another large beast was present. It was a white, furry primate larger than a man, and on its back was Magister Klaud. She'd survived, and they both knew what she was here to do. An understanding passed between the two, and Cross turned to address Kanda once more.

"We'll hold this thing off. Get out of here. Find the Lady, get her to safety," Cross instructed. The red-haired man turned, making a gesture in the air, and then leapt into the chasm, only to rise up again atop a bright blue disc. Klaud and her beast charged at the monstrosity, and as the sounds of their battle waged, Kanda backed up, knowing he would have to focus his energies elsewhere. This was not his battle. He felt the small bundle concealed on his waist bouncing against his hip, reminding him of its burdening presence. He knew he would need it, but his first priority was finding Lenalee. He prayed she was not in that sinkhole. The very thought of it chilled him to his bones. All he could cling to was a small, flickering hope, kindled only by his desire to see that demon fall.

* * *

As much as he insisted he was alright, Lenalee was fussing over his injuries nonstop while he pored through tome after tome. He knew there was something here. He'd read about it before, the words slipping through his brain without leaving a trace of meaning behind. He'd always been so interested in history and mystery, but discriminated between what he thought was real and pursuable and what was most certainly superstition. Now, he wished he hadn't. As recent events had proven to Lavi, the boundaries between fact and fiction were blurred and indiscernible. He felt a niggling regret for discarding his predecessor's instruction to simply study it all. He thought he was smarter than that old bat, choosing to spend his time pursuing new discoveries to add to his meaningful collection of decidedly real information. He wished he had the time now. He would study everything.

His mind ultimately returned to the idea that Allen had been a demon all along. He wondered how that could happen. The boy had shown him everything, and he could only assume his claim of being a former apprentice was true, or Cross wouldn't have acted in the way he did. Allen was different, somehow, than the others. Lavi was missing a piece of the puzzle, a piece he knew was there and yet he didn't. Schrodinger's cat was both a kid named Allen Walker and a timeless, inter-dimensional demon with multiple personalities. Lavi shut his tome hard, throwing it aside into a careless pile next to the window. Why did he care so much?

Lenalee was at his side again, another book in her hands. She had, at some point, taken a break from piddling with his dressings to help fetch books off of the cramped and dusty shelves. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he turned his head to look at her helplessly.

"Don't give up," she said, trying to encourage him. Lavi turned back toward the table, stacked with books he hadn't checked yet, and leaned back in the chair. It wasn't comfortable in the least, but he'd been so focused on scanning the fragile pages of all these useless books that he didn't even notice the ache forming in his back. Lenalee set the book down, and sat on the table in front of him. Now, taking up his entire line of vision, Lavi was forced to look at her full on.  
"You didn't let me give up," she reminded him harshly, her finger held sternly in front of his face, "And don't tell me you don't remember. You remember everything. You're smart. You're determined. And sweet." Lenalee blushed faintly. Despite everything, Lavi smiled, and kissed her.

Lenalee was surprised, and almost stumbled from her perch. She had to lean down to kiss him, and the two became locked together so fiercely that Lavi managed to pull her from the table. She stumbled onto his lap, and while Lenalee absolutely flushed, Lavi was distracted by a thump on the floor. The book that Lenalee had brought over fell open to reveal a portrait of Mana. Lavi stared at it, squinting to read the words scrawled on the page.

"What is this? Where did you find it?" he asked, voice still straining. Lenalee was flustered, answering in broken sentences as she tried ignore the compromising position she was in.

"It's a biography of Mana, written by, I think, the Archivist at the time," Lenalee answered, "I was moving it out of the way, I saw a tome on-!"

"You're a bloody genius, Lenalee!" Lavi cheered, cupping her cheeks in between his hands and kissing her again. This time, Lenalee stood, red in the face, but utterly bewildered by Lavi's excitement. Lavi knelt to flip through the book, his energy almost intoxicating. He remained on the floor as he scanned the contents. If what he knew about his own bloodline was true, then the author of this biography ought to have some insight into how, exactly, Mana was able to banish Millennium in the first place. Lenalee stood nearby, almost seeming to hold her breath.

There were noises outside, and dust started falling from the ceiling. She looked up, growing nervous quickly.

"Lavi, I think..."

"Here it is," Lavi hissed, cutting her off. He read quickly, soaking up as much information as possible. Slowly, his excitement slowed. The sounds grew louder, and a few books started to fall off the shelves. Lenalee looked down at him intensely.

"Something is happening, we need to go," she said, meaning it this time. But Lavi couldn't peel himself from the book, his focus intense and his skin paling. "I said- let's  _go!_ " Lenalee forcefully dragged him from the book, just as the ceiling caved around them and crashed to the floor where Lavi had been only a moment ago. The floor rumbled again, this time sending violent tremors up and down their bones. They exited the archives in a hurry, only to be swept aside when a cart flew past them.

Lenalee was the first to stand, helping Lavi to his feet again. The horror in her eyes told all, as she watched her city mercilessly torn to pieces before her. She was transfixed as the brick and mortar upended itself and seemed to sink into the ground, swallowed into a vortex. Sobered, Lavi turned his gaze upward, taking in the scene. There was something forming ahead, a monster. He looked behind them, and narrowly avoided a clock that whirled past their heads, its hands ticking numbly in reverse. It was as if time itself had shattered as the ground behind them began to shimmer and break, and Lavi realised that they, too, would be next to be devoured.

"Move!" Lavi urged Lenalee, who obeyed despite her lament. The shaking ground became a downward slope, and with alarm, Lavi noticed it was becoming an avalanche of debris pushing against them. They were now climbing and clambering a wall of broken houses, uprooted trees, and bodies. So many bodies. It was hard to ignore the wreckage beneath them, and Lenalee wailed in agony as a hand gripped at her ankle from under the sliding ruins of Westreach. It wasn't the terror of being dragged down, but knowing that others were still alive- like them- fighting tooth and nail to stay alive. Lavi took her hand tightly and hoisted her up, forcing the unknown victim to let go. They disappeared beneath the land slide.

"Keep moving," Lavi grunted, now pushing Lenalee ahead of him as much as he was able. Lenalee offered little resistance, but refused to let go of his hand. Together they ascended, until they reached the very edge of the wreck. They were on the other side of Westreach, overlooking the Devil's Wood. Lenalee reached it first, and helped pull Lavi out of the pit. Their reprieve wouldn't last long, they found, because the pit was growing bigger by the second.

"Lavi!" Lenalee cried, signalling they had arrived at the end of the line. Lavi had no answers for her, however, and wished with noted irony that he was a dragon once more. They could fly their way out of the mess. But no such easy answers came to him. The monster in the pit was taking form, growing in size the more it devoured. Either they became one with the sinkhole, or they backed off the cliffside and fell to their deaths in the Reach. A rush of wind from behind caught him off guard, and in mere moments he was flying over the pit, casting a gargantuan shadow on the mess below. Lenalee fell silent, perhaps absorbing the view of what was left of her home. Lavi had grown used to the sensation of flight, and for a moment he believed he'd accomplished a transformation on his own. A dragon indeed flew over the wreck, however, it was not Lavi. He found himself encased in a claw easily his body size. Lenalee was by his side, clutched in the other in an all-too-familiar scene.

They kept on flying, and just as Lavi became uncertain where they would end up, the great beast descended. They landed a distance from Westreach, dropped most unceremoniously on some tilled piece of land. The dragon landed next to them with such force that it knocked the both of them to their knees again. Before they could rise, the great scaly beast bore down on them. It was simply massive. Easily the length of a trading vessel, the dragon looked like a mass of shadow, broken apart only by its demonic yellow eyes.

"Where is it?" Its voice erupted in their minds, a deep and velvety hiss only befitting a dragon of its volume. "The onyx blade, where is it?"

Lenalee started. "T-Tyki! Is that you?" She sounded both frightful and amazed, but Lavi was instantly on the defensive. This beast could crush him easily, but if he was a demon as Lenalee had previously explained, then Lavi had the upper hand.

"Gone!" Lenalee shouted up at him, more bravely than Lavi thought was safe for her. The beast roared, his ire rattling their bones.

"Useless girl!" the dragon snarled viciously. His wings spread, making him seem all the larger. Lavi moved in between her and the demon, catching his attention. An amused grumble emerged from his chest.

"You would stop me?" he taunted Lavi.

"Until my last breath, demon," Lavi shot back. The two glared on in silence as Westreach crumbled in the distance. Finally, the dragon broke its evil gaze, lifting his eyes toward the city.

"This was my home," the dragon grumbled, mysteriously wistful. It stood, took some steps forward, then crushed the farmhouse beneath its behemoth tail. Lavi and Lenalee backed away in shock as the dragon pummelled every last centimetre into sawdust. "Until it was taken away! My life is gone! Time has taken you away, and only time will bring you back!" The dragon's voice devolved into a pained howl. Lavi's brows joined as he pieced together the information. Millennium was an aspect of time, and it appeared Tyki wanted his power.

"You cannot kill that demon on your own, Tyki," Lavi called, clutching his throat in pain. "You need my blood."

The dragon paused, turning toward Lavi again and crouching down close.

"You're a clever one," he commented, licking his lips, "Who taught you our secrets?"

"Lavi, no-!" Lenalee started, catching on.

"Is that a deal I sense?" the dragon coaxed. Lavi nodded. The dragon's great black lips parted into a devilish grin.

"Lavi, you can't-!" But Lavi turned and pulled her close, silencing her protest. He kissed her full on the lips, imparting on her a thousand words he had no time to tell her.

"Disgusting," the beast groaned, and Lavi raised him the bird in response. They parted, and his singular gaze found hers, an intense look passing between them, begging for her trust.

"That day on the Reach," he told her quietly, "I told myself I would never let you go again. Never again will you slip between my fingers. That was a promise I'll do anything to keep." Lenalee had no words, but the fear growing inside of her was showing. Lavi brushed back her hair, finding her more beautiful than ever. "The book said that a demon such as Millennium cannot sustain inside the body of a demon hunter. That is the key to destroying it. I know what I need to do. Please, let me do it. You taught me that birthright is a responsibility. Maybe I'm not of noble birth, Lenalee, but my path is clear to me."

"You can't believe that?!" Lenalee finally asked, her voice cracking.

"I can," Lavi argued, "And I believe stopping this calamity is bigger than the both of us." Lenalee was shaking.

"Are you saying goodbye, then?" she could no longer look him in the eye.

"I surely hope so," the dragon bellowed, "Get on with it!"

Lavi backed away and put a hand on her head. He didn't have the strength to say goodbye. Lavi turned and faced the demon defiantly.

"Then I make my bargain with you, Tyki."

* * *

Westreach was no more. It was none but a battleground now. The town hall was flattened, and the battlements were dust. Before them, a construct loomed, the faces of a thousand clocks ticking upon its surface.

"Three kinds of cat shit," Cross swore, "For a monstrosity covered in clocks, you'd think it could time its attacks a little better."

"Are you seriously complaining?" Klaud admonished him from above. Her ape had managed to scale its way up the construct's back and was now digging its way inside. For every scoop of debris it clawed out, however, more filth came up to replace it. "That's all we've got going on it. Give it any amount of speed and we're- watch your six!"

"There's about one hundred clocks on si- oh!" Cross leaped aside as a pillar of debris rapidly materialised into an arm, narrowly missing him as it fell forward, disappearing into the pool below. "Whew, that's new."

"Just had to talk, didn't you?" Klaud shook her head.

Up above, a new figure appeared over the construct, drawing both of the Magister's attentions. A body rose from the construct's head, fused with the debris but instantly recognisable.

"Allen, get down here and fight like a man!" Cross bellowed, throwing a fireball at the boy. Allen easily dodged it, enraging Cross, who threw several more. Klaud's ape flew to the top in a frenzy, grasping for the boy, but missing every swing. "You're a dishonourable gnat, you are!" Cross cried out.

The colossus turned on Cross, totally ignoring Klaud's onslaught. It lumbered forward, gaining on the Magister. Startled by the sudden speed, he threw up a barrier, but when the arm came down like a hammer, it shattered, sending the Magister hurtling back. Thunderous booms followed as the construct advanced on him once more, and before Cross had a chance to even get up, the arm was coming down again. Cross made a move to shield himself.

_KARROOM!_

Cross was alive. He couldn't believe it. He patted himself down quickly and even pinched himself. Then he looked up. Before him was a large black dragon, easily the same size as the construct, standing on its hind claws and wrestling the arm back. It had saved his life. Cross resisted the urge to throw up his own arms and cheer. The dragon succeeded in pushing the construct back. Klaud raced to his side, if not to avoid what had become a battle between giants.

"What in the hell is going on?" Klaud asked, thoroughly confused.

"I don't know, but its doing one heck of a lot better than we were," Cross answered, wasting no time in conjuring a quick cigarette. It fell out of his lips the moment he lit up. "Is that Lavi?!"

The red haired man was hard to miss up there. He was climbing up the dragon's neck, and Cross couldn't even begin to guess how he was managing to hold on. The dragon roared mightily, slamming into the construct with its entire body weight. Lavi leapt from the dragon's head to where Allen stood atop the other giant, then disappeared.

"Shit," Cross started forward. "That's not good. And I don't trust that dragon."

"We should help him," Klaud interjected.

"Which one? The dragon or the idiot?" Cross gruffed.

"You help the kid. I'll cover this thing's tail."

* * *

Kanda spurred his horse, praying he wasn't too late. He'd of course seen the great black dragon fly near the city, and followed it as closely as he dared. As it happened, one of Link's horses had survived the chaos, and if Kanda was anything, he was an opportunist. The poor creature was spooked to be sure, but with some soothing from Kanda, it had taken him far past the ruined battlements. The horse reared up and almost bucked him off when the dragon flew overhead again, in the direction of the city. Kanda had half a mind to follow it, but when he spotted Lenalee, he plowed on ahead.

He recognised the plot of land here. Lenalee's father had given it to Fort Honning as a dowry, but the land never bore product, so far as he could remember. They always suspected it was cursed. Now, it was destroyed. He didn't think anyone would miss it.

Lenalee came running toward him, again startling his now paranoid horse. She was dirty and exhausted-looking, and a pang of worry intruded Kanda's thoughts. He dismounted and caught her in his arms, trying to calm her. She was frantic.

"Are you hurt, Lady?" Kanda asked.

"I'm fine, but Lavi-! Oh, Lavi, why- Kanda! We have to do something!"

"Wait- you mean- no! We're getting you away from here! To safety!" Kanda nearly balked at her words. "Are you mad?"

"Quite possibly," Lenalee answered unapologetically. "He plans to kill that thing himself. He made a pact with Tyki- that's the dragon, Tyki- I mean, he's a demon-  _aargh_  I have  _no_  time to explain  _just get on the horse!_ "

Lenalee's sudden fervour caught him off guard, and he could find no other response than to do was he was told. Lenalee was on the steed first, and she hoisted Kanda up behind her. This time, she held the reigns as the horse galloped in the direction of death. Lenalee explained the situation to Kanda, who, after learning of Lavi's fate should he follow through with his plan, finally understood what Lenalee intended to do about it.

"So we're going to kill a giant, demonically empowered, man-eating, house-crushing dragon?"

"That's exactly what we're going to do," Lenalee confirmed, humourlessly.

"Are you mad, woman?" Kanda complained, "How are we going to... do that...?" he trailed off, remembering the bundle at his side. "We're both mad," he continued, "We're going to kill that thing, aren't we?"

"Why the sudden confidence?" Lenalee mocked him.

"Because," Kanda withdrew the bundle from his waist, letting the wrap fall just enough for Lenalee to view its contents. When she saw it, she pulled back on the reigns, hard. Kanda was nearly flung off. "Why did you do that?!"

"That blade is evil!" Lenalee admonished him. "You saw what it did to Lavi!"

"Yes, and so did you! Don't tell me he hasn't told you yet!" Kanda held it away from her reach, but his words gave her pause. "Allen sent the message. It contained a warning... and this," Kanda explained. He knew the contents of the letter contained something else, but it was definitely not something Lenalee needed to know. "This blade is slaked with his blood... blood intended to kill Allen with. Blood that can kill a demon."

Lenalee's eyes grew large as the pieces fit together in her mind. "He wanted his blade back... when I didn't have it... oh no, this is my fault. It's my fault he took Lavi." She spurred the horse into motion again. "He's counting on Lavi to die. We can't let that happen!"

* * *

The air was thin, yet from up high, it seemed almost congested by a foul storm of dust, debris, and the ever present grip of dread. Tyki's powerful wingbeats drove him into the teeth of the storm, Lavi clinging to his wicked spines as the gusts threatened to batter them out of the sky. Proving himself one with the source of its tainted creation, Tyki seared through it as if he belonged in its chaotic embrace, splitting through the storm with the ease of a thunderbolt flung to earth. Lavi found himself both awestruck and frightened by the sheer display of power. Was it all coming from Millennium? Could he really do this?

Below him, Tyki let out a roar of challenge, swooping into the midst of Westreach and landing with an earth-shattering crash that nearly blasted Lavi from his perch. He held fast as the great beast grappled with the colossus. A true clash of titans.

"Go, you worthless dribble of spit!" Tyki bellowed. Lavi scaled his mighty head, and with surprising agility was able to leap across the gap between the two monsters. Fighting for his balance, he stood before the form of Allen, but only just. Lavi almost didn't recognise the lad. Before him, the sorcerer's body seemed to have sprouted from that of the construct; or, more likely, was in the process of being absorbed. His eyes were open but unseeing, like a doll. Lavi approached him as closely as he dared.

_/An ugly blot upon the world. I will erase this abhorrent creation of man./_

Lavi doubled over as the voice of the demon entered his head like a thrusting snake. His presence there felt wrong. Slimy. Tainted. Ugly. His words were warped and stilted, like the ticking of a hundred clocks out of sync.

_/Dare you stand in my way, insect?/_

The body of Allen turned to face him, his glassy eyes looking through him. Lavi braved the now howling winds around them, grabbing on to Allen's arms in attempt to pull his body free. His form was limp, and impossibly cold. Lavi feared he was already dead.

_/You know not the consequences. There are always. Consequences./_

A wicked change in the wind threw Lavi back, and in an instant he was in free fall. He shouted, reaching out for the quickly disappearing Allen. His descent halted, his vision blurring as if the world had turned to glass. He recognised what it was that had caught him and took a moment to appreciate one of the Magister's many unique spells. The bubble popped, depositing him once again atop the construct. It swayed violently as it delivered a blow to Tyki, who howled in pain, now enraged.

"If you've got a plan, now might be a good time to put it into action," Cross said, lifting his arm to form a shield as the puppet Allen threw a pulsing orb at them, which Lavi could swear was screaming. The truth was, Lavi didn't have much of a plan except for 'kill Millennium in any way possible.'

"We need to kill this thing," Lavi instructed, struggling to keep his voice heard over the wind.

"Really, genius? Well, there he is. Go kill him."

"Wait," Lavi put an arm on Cross's outstretched one, stopping whatever destructive spell he was about to conjure. Cross shook him off to throw up another shield.

"Never. Interrupt. Casting." Cross growled at him dangerously.

"I'm sorry!" Lavi returned impatiently, "Look, there's a way to do this without killing Allen in the process! I just need you to trust me." There was a moment which, to Lavi, almost appeared as if he'd spoken to another Cross, a younger one from another time. One such Cross that had seen the glimmer of hope for his bright, albeit former student. But the moment had come and gone, and whatever softness he'd shown was swiftly barricaded behind a most severe frown.

"You're gambling an awful lot on that, Archivist," Cross warned him.

"I've had a bit of a spiritual journey, Magister," Lavi said, tearing off his sleeve. "I need your knife."

Surprisingly, the man made no sound of skepticism to the request, and produced a ceremonial dagger for Lavi to use. The thing possessing Allen noticed, and another ugly sound filled their heads.

_/Filthy. Filthy! You must be erased!/_

Lavi was wrenched from his position, dropping the knife as his body was surrounded by shadowy tendrils that had sprouted from Allen's back. They coiled around him, binding him tightly in their grip and drawing him in. Cross was hurling obscenities and spells alike, but none seemed to be able to touch them.

"Allen! Snap out of it!" Lavi wheezed, his lungs being crushed by the magic. But Allen made no indication of having heard him. The boy may as well have been dead. Blackened veins were creeping up his neck, and his skin was pale. What had this thing done to him? Lavi felt his breath leave him. The tendrils were now surrounding his neck, and he heard Cross shouting mutely somewhere nearby, but his efforts were ineffectual. The sounds of the battle seemed to be fading away. He was suffocating. Dying.

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tick. Tock._

A great clock dominated his vision. He stood in a familiar place, his senses free from the ongoing battle. He knew where he was only because Allen had once shown him. Lavi looked up at the great clock, whose hands were trying dutifully to move but were snapped back by thousands of ghostly black chains. All around him, he was surrounded by a river of great lengths, the water unmoving. There were tiny islands dotting the distance, but as for what they could possibly hold, it was impossible to tell.

The Isles truly were Timeless, he thought.

Was this the clock which controlled all time, or simply the time of the island he stood upon? It was not moving at present, thanks to the chains restricting it. He didn't like it. Lavi stepped up to the clock, and grasped at one of the chains. The moment he began to pull at it, he was thrown backward as if he just touched a lightning bolt.

_/You should not be here./_

The ugly, twisting voice had returned. There was an odd panic in its tone that seemed unfitting to an ancient demon such as Millennium. If only he knew where, exactly, was 'here.'

_/That magic should have killed you! What are you?/_

Of course. Lavi peered back up at the clock, remembering something Allen had told him the first time they came here.

_"This is all taking place in your mind- a vision of a real place, as it is."_

The chains rattled as something started to climb down them. The tall, faceless man had appeared, looking down at Lavi with contempt.

_/How dare you touch my ark. You will suffer for your mistake./_

Lavi's mouth fell open in a distinct 'O' shape. That  _thing_  was the ark? The tiny, black stone he'd seen this creature grasping? In the most surreal way possible, everything nonsensical about how this demon operated was starting to make some sense. It almost seemed as if that ark was responsible for disrupting time.

It was all in his mind, right? Lavi found himself overcome with a newfound clarity. Everything felt possible. He felt like he could fly, if he wanted to.

The chains rattled, and without warning, shot out from the clock and entangled him. Lavi grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. He focused on his escape, envisioning himself strong enough to break through the chains. And he did. His form shimmered, and in his place stood the dragon. The chains shattered as he threw them off, belching up a flamethrower that spilled toward the clock.

_/What?!/_

The ark faltered, and some of the bindings fell. The minute hand was freed, and began ticking away happily as if nothing had ever stopped it. The faceless man was enraged, jumping from the face of the clock and hitting the ground before Lavi, splitting it and forming a chasm between them.

 _Like that would stop me,_  Lavi thought. He spread his wings and made to leap over the chasm, but the faceless man stopped him with a strange gesture. The world seemed to spin, gravity recalibrating. Up was down and left was right. The earth itself seemed to move, and now Lavi found himself shooting down the newly formed chasm. No! He spread his wings and braked, attempting to turn around, but the light had gone and he was blind in the darkness.

Millennium's sinister laughter filled his head. There was a sound of falling rocks. Up ahead, a spark appeared. It grew closer, and soon Lavi realised it was falling toward him. He had no time to move out of the way. It collided with him, sending him hurtling backward, trapped by its form until he was able to open his eye and see what it was.

 _This is impossible,_  Lavi's thoughts betrayed his eyes. It was a storm Tease. The same one that had attacked him and Lenalee in the Spires. It had fallen into a chasm and never seemed to land. The construct was still alive. Lavi concentrated, trying to give himself an edge. He needed to get out of this endless cavern. He needed to lose this bird.

And then they were falling through the sky. Startled by the change, Lavi spread his wings only moments before crashing into a still lake. What was going on? A few heavy flaps put him back into the air, but not before the Tease crashed into the water with an electric crackle, remerging as a translucent, watery raptor. Lavi pushed himself back into the clouds, hoping to lose it. He didn't know where he was, but when he spotted the white drake speeding in between the squalls almost half a league ahead, it became clear it was not where but  _when_.

He tried to call out to Allen, but it was no use. The Tease had caught up with him, and now he had no choice but to fight it. He veered away from the lake, flying over the trees. There was a temple ahead which he recognised as belonging to the nymphs, and with trepidation, wondered what would happen if he were to see himself. Not wanting to find out, he made a sudden dive at the woods, concentrating on finding Millennium. The trees obliged, parting and melting away until they formed a grassy knoll. He skidded to a halt, on the island again. The Tease was not so lucky. It overshot the dive, falling into a pocket of time that was neither here nor there, frozen in time with its talons outstretched in attack.

Wasting no more time, Lavi lunged at the clock, his claws coiling around the chains. This time, he anticipated the shock it would deliver. He held fast, clenching his teeth through the pain. He owned it. The magic rattled his body until it flowed through it. Lavi had never felt so powerful in his life. He yanked at the chains, breaking them completely.

_/Insufferable whelpling!/_

The demon was pissed now. The clock was ticking freely. With the ark disabled, Lavi turned on the demon, now shaking in anger at the dragon's meddling.

"You can't harm me," Lavi threatened. "It's over, Millennium." His claw came down upon the demon, pinning him to the ground with all of his weight. "You're finished!"

_/Fool! Without its master, time is-!/_

Lavi's teeth shut around his head, tearing it clean from his shoulders. Instantly, the isles dissolved, and he stood again over the ruins of Westreach. He bore down upon Allen now, the boy trapped under his claws.

"Do it, Lavi!" Cross shouted over the roaring winds. Lavi peered down at Allen. His cerulean eyes were looking up at him, that stupid smile he wore so well now plastered on his weakened features.

"Kill him!" Tyki's howl came trembling through his ears.

"It's okay, Lavi," Allen said, so weakly and so quietly that he almost didn't hear the boy. "It's okay."

But all was not okay. As he looked over Westreach, ruined as it was, he saw beyond the Reach. His breath seemed to leave him momentarily. The woods were a serene green, the lake sparkling, untouched, untainted. Timeless. It was as if Millennium had turned back time, to a time before his own dark magic had festered in the soil of their land. This was what Allen had wanted all along. But Millennium was dead. Yet time was still out of control.

 _'Without its master...'_  Lavi echoed. He released Allen.  _'Time is...'_  Time is what?

"Lavi! Watch out-!" Something had tipped the colossus. It was crumbling, and Allen with it.

Lavi lunged again for Allen, pulling at his bindings with all of his strength. Allen was wrenched free as the construct fell beneath them. Cross was battered away by Tyki as he tried to conjure his flying disc. Lavi dove for him, too. Tyki turned on him.

"Traitorous dog!" the dragon bellowed, and a wall of black dragon fire raced toward Lavi, who promptly dropped to avoid it. Something white collided with the dragon's side, sending him down. Lavi had to turn his head all the way around to see what it was that hit him. Klaud and her beast were attacking Tyki, her ape in a frenzy, tearing away at Tyki's hide. His belly was now a mass of blood. Lavi didn't want to waste the distraction. He landed roughly near the battlements, depositing Allen and the Magister underneath the flagpole. Cross was coming to.

"What in the- oh, it's just you. Some roar there, you bust a lung, beast? Ow..." Cross blubbered incoherently. "Klaud, is she alright?"

Lavi turned back to the battle. Tyki had, unfortunately, overpowered Klaud's pet, its bloodied remains licked from the dragon's jaw. Lavi felt a quiver down his spine. Somehow, Tyki was far more fierce than Millennium had been. Wasn't Millennium the most powerful of their lot? He hadn't time to ponder over it. What was left of the resistance was being slaughtered. Howard Link had ordered his men onto the ballistae, or what was left of them. As a round fired off at the dragon, he realised that none of them would be able to stop him. His scales were already regenerating, and the bolts that hit him seemed to have no effect on him at all. Tyki was a true monster.

Cross was already flying past him. After one last look at Allen, Lavi launched himself into the air. He expected Tyki would leap into the air after him, but he seemed content to take his four-pawed stance over the remains of the sinkhole. Instead, he drew breath, and began to pound the ballistae with fireball after fireball. Lavi couldn't believe what he was seeing. Tyki was like a fountain of black fire, his fireballs the size of boulders. There was no need for accuracy. His fire didn't evaporate, either. Wherever his fire hit, it continued to burn as if feuled by oil.

Lavi surged down after him. He had to stop him, or at least distract him, before he killed all of Link's men. He dodged a sweep of Tyki's tail, pounding into his back and digging in with all twenty of his claws. His scales were harder than steel. He raced upward, snapping at his neck. Even at the widest gap in his jaws, Lavi couldn't possibly close his fangs over his thick neck. Tyki shook him off easily. A couple of his own fireballs did nothing but tickle his scales, and Tyki's horrible laugh mocked his efforts.

"I'm going to rip you in half!" Tyki growled. Lavi howled in pain as he felt Tyki's teeth sink into his back, dragging him down. Lavi fought back, but there was nothing he could do to escape short of tearing off his own wings. Then, the beast spasmed, releasing Lavi involuntarily. An arrow had plunged straight into Tyki's left eye. The red dragon fell to the ground, rolling back to his feet.

"Lavi!" It was Lenalee. Her and Kanda approached him fearlessly, both brandishing weapons. With one look, Lavi discovered that it was Kanda who had fired the arrow. Lavi nodded to him in thanks. Cross joined them.

"It's time to end this- now," Cross said, conjuring a second disc for Kanda. The man didn't seem to trust it, but with a pointed look from the Magister, he stepped on top of it.

"I'm with you," Lenalee said, looking up at Lavi. He didn't like the idea of putting her in the way of danger, but Lenalee was fearless. And she was damn good with a blade. Who was he to deny her? "Get me in close, and we'll finish him."

They took off. Cross and Kanda split up on either side, but when Tyki finally broke from cradling his damaged eye, his hateful gaze fell upon Lavi and Lenalee. His roar of pain and anger shook the earth. Sensing danger, Lavi raced into the sky. Tyki's massive head turned to track him. He heard the beast spread his wings behind him. Lavi turned back to see the black dragon pursuing him. His jaws parted wide, anticipating a devastating attack.

"Now, Lavi!" Lenalee shouted from his back. Lavi spun, twisting in the air, plummeting back toward Tyki's head. Lenalee hurled something shiny and sharp down his throat. Lavi sank his claws into Tyki's snout, and that's when he saw it. Hidden between his onyx scales, a glimmering stone was wedged in between, pulsing with energy. Lavi bit down on it, hard, wrenching it out, as Tyki shut his mouth and shuddered. Lavi launched himself away as Cross and Kanda fired off joint shots at his wings.

His scales gleamed briefly in the inferno that blossomed around him. Fire couldn't burn a dragon, but his wings had turned into sticks. Tyki flapped his wing bones, which were all that remained of his once impressive wingspan. He plummeted like a mountain from the sky onto the flagpole of the battlements. The tip of the flagpole speared cleanly through his throat and exited the top of his skull. He shuddered once, and moved no more. His lifeless weight snapped the flagpole and he fell dead over the battlements where Allen lay.

There were cheers coming from the battlements, and even Lenalee cried out in victory, but Lavi swooped down to the fallen dragon's head. A heart still beat beneath. He heaved at the dragon's neck, pushing with all of his might. Cross landed nearby, thankfully understanding, and shouted at Link's men to help him move the beast's head as Lenalee slid from his back. With a flurry of barked orders, a dozen men fell to the task. Together with Lavi's strength, they heaved and shouted until they managed to lift him up just enough to reveal what lie beneath. Lenalee gasped, and her and Kanda pulled Allen out from underneath Tyki's broken skull.

The dragon was dropped with a thud, and Lavi transformed. He knelt over Allen's body, shaking him. He spit the black stone into his hand. It was still alight with energy.

"Allen? Allen, wake up," Lavi shook the boy. The boy blinked. A relieved smile washed over Lavi's face.

"Oww," Allen groaned, "Only being alive could hurt this much."

"It's a miracle you are," Cross observed. Allen blinked up at the man, startled that he wasn't trying to kill him. His eyes darted around at everyone, then at all the destruction around him.

"My," he gasped, as if seeing the damage for the first time. Lavi knew what he was thinking, that he'd been the cause of it all.

"Millennium is dead," Lavi said. Allen looked back at him, wide-eyed this time. "But the ark yet remains. Allen- Millennium was just another demon after all. A clever one, no doubt, but his lording over time was only thanks to this ark."

"I knew that, perhaps," Allen said, uncertainly.

"I think," Lavi carried on, "A force so powerful as time shouldn't be in the hands of something as evil as a demon. Allen, I know you aren't a demon. You may possess their power, but your heart is good."

Lavi folded the stone in Allen's hand. The boy was speechless. Lavi smiled gently at him.

"Now, I think I've done my part," Lavi said, tired. Everyone around them took a step back as the stone dissolved into Allen's hand. Tears filled the boy's eyes.

"Lavi," he said, throwing his arms around the red-haired man, "You're the truest friend I never deserved. Thank you."

"Same to you, devilish little beansprout," Lavi patted him on his back. "Now if you wouldn't mind..."

"Say no more," Allen stood with renewed strength. He turned to Magister Cross, taking a deep bow. The man stood stock still. A moment passed between them before Allen spoke up again. "I've failed you as a student. I-"

"No," Cross stopped him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I failed you as a teacher. I should have recognised how weak you were back then. I could have helped you. Instead, I made things worse." Allen twitched. Lavi couldn't tell if it was a sincere apology or an insult. Or both. Such was Cross's nature.

"Nonetheless you put in a decent morning's work, lad," Cross finished.

"Decent? That's all?" Lenalee scowled.

"Down, Lady," Cross laughed, "He did tear a rift in time and space, kill hundreds of innocents, and destroy our beautiful city, after all. That takes a powerful Magister."

"That was a demon," Kanda corrected him.

"And that demon is dead," Lavi added. It was a foreign feeling, agreeing with his rival.

"I'm going to fix it," Allen resolved, "All of it." Allen closed his eyes, clutching his hands tightly to his chest. "Things will be better; I promise."


	11. Epilogue

Today was finally the day.

There was almost a spring in his step as he joined Cross under the gazebo. It was as if the day had decided to behave, just this once. The skies were blue and cloudless, and a pleasant yet not overbearing breeze rolled through to keep the day cool. Lavi was dressed in a fine suit, at the insistence of the organisers. He didn't think Lenalee would have minded what he wore, but he was so excited, he could have been doing this in his birthday suit and been equally satisfied with it. But the ceremony wasn't for their sakes; nobles always wanted a flashy and over-the-top affair, and that's what Lavi would give them. Those high-class people were hard to please.

Lenalee was equally excited. Arm in arm with Komui, her brother, it seemed as if she would run toward him if not for Komui's deliberately slow walk. He wanted to show off his sister, and if Lavi knew anything about Komui, it was more or less a display of what they could never have. He was reluctant to let go of her when they reached the gazebo. Lenalee shot him a impatient look before he finally relented, and she eagerly joined hands with Lavi.

Facing each other, they found themselves lost in between. Cross recited the necessities, but his voice faded into the background as their whispered exchange took place.

"You're so beautiful," Was all Lavi could tell her, breathless. Indeed she was. For the occasion, her hair had been dressed up in a traditional fashion, held fast by what Lavi guessed was an heirloom of her mother's. It brought all the focus to her face, which had been so frugally touched with makeup. She didn't need it, either. Lenalee had a very natural beauty. He fought the urge to touch her just yet. She was blushing.

"-  _and the bride does thusly vow….!_ " Cross repeated, bringing them both back to the present. Lenalee blinked, blushing even harder as she lifted her goblet. Lavi felt a little absurd holding a candle. She lifted his hand in her own.

"With this hand," she recited, "I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I shall be your wine." It was Lavi's turn.

"With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring," he slipped the ring around her finger, feeling Lenalee's hand trembling, "I ask you to be mine."

"I am yours," Lenalee said, her eyes lighting up.

Lavi couldn't wait for Cross to officialise the marriage before he pulled Lenalee in, showing his love for her for all of Westreach to see. She squealed in delight as Lavi swept her into his arms, feeling, for once in his life, pure happiness. If only the moment could last. A white dove perched upon the lattice overhead. The ladies in attendance swooned, whispering about how romantic it was, or that it was a sign of good fortune to come. But Lavi and Lenalee knew better. The dove winked at the couple, then fluttered away into the gardens.

They had been skeptical for a while, but the mere fact that the celebration afterwards had proven to be so merry was proof enough to them that what Allen told them was true. Lavi, Lenalee, Cross, and Kanda were the only living souls who would remember the events that transpired around Millennium and his demons. Allen had become the new master over the time streams. He restored Westreach to its former glory, reviving all who had perished in the battle, although none of them seemed to recall any of it ever happening. All the better, Lavi thought.

Even so, Allen had surprised them further. He'd gone above and beyond simply fixing Westreach. The evils of the Devil's Wood vanished, bringing new life to the forest below them. New residences popped up throughout, including a small chapel down by the lake. It was run by a nun by the name of Miranda Lotto, a woman who was rather introverted and preferred the solitude. With the barrier of this evil woodland gone, a new trading route had opened up, much to the benefit of Fort Honning, which had been struggling.

The greatest surprise, however, was the farmland that had sprung into success. Allen assured them repeatedly that they had nothing to worry about, and that Tyki Mikk was an honest man with a loving wife and three children. And he was right. As strange as it was after their battle to the death, Tyki remembered nothing of his demon days, and now spent his days trading produce and raising his children into the trade. Lavi had even run into him selling his vegetables at the market, and the man hadn't even recognised him. He was a perfectly normal bloke with a perfectly normal life.

But, he supposed, stranger things had indeed happened.

The festivities had calmed down, giving Lavi and Lenalee the opportunity to steal away into the gardens. With the sounds of merriment fading behind them, the newlyweds were alone at last. They seated themselves along the edge of a fountain, the stone angel seeming to watch them as they looked deeply into each other's eyes.

And they laughed.

All the excitement, nervousness, and strangeness of the day spilled out into simple laughter. Finally, when they calmed, they embraced.

"You have no idea what I've been through to get you," Lavi teased, finally playing with her hair. Lenalee punched him playfully in the arm.

"Well I happened to get kidnapped by a dragon, mind you," she shot back.

"Do you think any of this will, you know, come back to bite us? I mean, Allen changed a lot-"

"Of course not!" the stone angel came to life, startling them both. Allen laughed, stepping down from the fountain and slipping in between them. "Not a single loose end. You do  _not_ want to know how many tries it took to get them all right."

The couple laughed nervously.

"But don't mess it up, alright? I won't be here to fix it." They paused, sharing a look.

"What do you mean? Are you leaving?" Lenalee asked.

"I've done enough here in Westcliff. Quite enough, I think," Allen said, thoughtfully, "I think it's time I moved on. Thanks to you, I've found my purpose in life. I know I'm needed elsewhere."

"I thought you would take up training with Cross again?" Lavi questioned him. Allen shook his head.

"Nah, he's got a new apprentice."

"What? Who?" The couple said in unison. Allen smiled, if not a bit devilishly.

"Kanda, of course!"

"You're lying!" Lenalee said, "He would never!"

"Actually, he would. You see, he had my mark. That letter I sent him was mostly about what he needed to do to get rid of it."

Lavi raised his brows, half amused. "I can't wait to see it, actually."

Allen winked. "Oh, I don't know about that. You'll be plenty busy yourself."

"What do you mean?" Lavi balked. Allen laughed again, placing a hand on Lenalee's belly. She flushed, and Lavi grew a deep shade of red himself.

"Lenalee?!"

"I was going to tell you, honestly, I- damn it, Allen!"

The boy cackled darkly. "Maybe I'll come visit when the tyke's a bit older. Farewell, my dearest friends!"

Allen vanished, leaving the couple alone, for real this time. Still flushed, Lenalee balled up her hands into her lap, not certain what else to say. Lavi put his hand on top of hers. She looked up at him.

"We've been through hell already," he reassured her. "The future holds nothing we cannot conquer."

Lenalee smiled. That smile that made it all worth it.


End file.
